The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a move to add two more groups — the Kanakanavu (卡那卡那富) and Hla’alua (拉阿魯哇) people — to the nation’s 14 officially recognized Aborigine groups.
Hailing from mountain villages in southern Taiwan, Kanakanavu people and Hla’alua people are mainly based in Greater Kaohsiung’s Namasiya Township (那瑪夏) and Taoyuan District (桃源) respectively.
The official recognition was welcomed with traditional celebrations, cultural dances and music in a ceremony at the Executive Yuan in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: CNA
Kanakanavu people, who number about 600, and Hla’alua people, numbering about 500, have smaller populations than the nation’s major Aborigine groups.
An official at the Council of Indigenous Peoples said these groups were previously classified as Tsou (鄒) people, but their languages, cultural traditions and ritual ceremonies differ from those of the Tsou.
An assessment study undertaken by researchers at National Chengchi University’s Center for Aboriginal Studies indicated that the two groups each had their own cultural characteristics and ethnic identities, and therefore should be recognized as two distinct Aborigine groups.
Photo: CNA
An earlier, traditional classification held that the nation is home to the so-called “nine mountain Aborigine groups” — the Amis, Atayal, Puyuma, Bunun, Paiwan, Rukai, Saisiyat, Tsou and Yami peoples.
Since 2001, the government has recognized five more Aboriginal peoples: the Thao, Kavalan, Truku, Sakizaya and Sediq.
However, the government has excluded 10 lowland Pingpu Aborigine groups from official recognition, activists have said.
Despite decades of struggle for Aboriginal rights and their lobbying efforts, the government still denies recognition to the Pingpu groups of Babuza, Hoanya, Kaxabu, Ketagalan, Makatao, Pazeh, Papora, Siraya, Taokas and Tavorlong.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Taoyuan would issue a decision at 8pm on whether to cancel work and school tomorrow due to forecasted heavy rain, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said today. Hsieh told reporters that absent some pressing reason, the four northern cities would announce the decision jointly at 8pm. Keelung is expected to receive between 300mm and 490mm of rain in the period from 2pm today through 2pm tomorrow, Central Weather Administration data showed. Keelung City Government regulations stipulate that school and work can be canceled if rain totals in mountainous or low-elevation areas are forecast to exceed 350mm in
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
1.4nm WAFERS: While TSMC is gearing up to expand its overseas production, it would also continue to invest in Taiwan, company chairman and CEO C.C. Wei said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has applied for permission to construct a new plant in the Central Taiwan Science Park (中部科學園區), which it would use for the production of new high-speed wafers, the National Science and Technology Council said yesterday. The council, which supervises three major science parks in Taiwan, confirmed that the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau had received an application on Friday from TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, to commence work on the new A14 fab. A14 technology, a 1.4 nanometer (nm) process, is designed to drive artificial intelligence transformation by enabling faster computing and greater power
RSS