Aboriginal rights activists yesterday criticized a government-produced short film promoting a festival of Aboriginal art, saying that the portrayal of a female Aborigine and a Caucasian suitor conformed to discriminatory ethnic and gender stereotypes.
“It makes us especially heartbroken to see such a work of discrimination come from one of our very own Aboriginal government agencies,” said Chen I-chen (陳以箴), an Aboriginal rights advocate from the Makatao people.
The clip, produced by the state-run Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation, was made to promote the Pulima Art Festival, a national art event featuring fine art and performance art by Aboriginal artists.
The film showed a blond Caucasian man encountering an Aboriginal woman near an MRT station. Apparently attracted by the woman’s beauty, he followed her into the station, where she performed a dance routine alongside traditionally dressed Aboriginal children.
The clip ended with the man saying he would like to get to know the woman, and the woman responded by handing him a Taipei Easycard, which then doubles as a ticket to the festival.
Critics said the film promoted stereotypical views of female Aborigines as “exotic objects of lust” sought after by Western men.
“This film has no cultural depth at all,” Hualien county councilor candidate Kawlo Iyun Pacidal said. “It’s saddening that so many Aboriginal artists have poured their heart and soul into the work featured at this festival, yet they are completely unrepresented in this advert.”
Kawlo, of the Amis people, added that the “stalking behavior” of the man in the clip made her feel uncomfortable, since it reinforced the stereotype that female Aborigines are exotic trophies.
The advocates demanded a thorough review of the production process of the film, as well as an apology from the foundation.
The clip was taken down from YouTube late last night “to respect different views,” Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation marketing division deputy manager Chuang Che-jen (莊哲人) said.
He added that the the writer and director of the film are Aborigines.
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