Taiwan’s first Aboriginal experimental elementary school on Wednesday held an event marking its formal opening to Atayal students in Taichung’s Heping District (和平) and renaming as P’uma Elementary School, meaning “heritage” in the Atayal language.
Previously known as Municipal Daguan Elementary School, P’uma Elementary School was established as an experimental Aboriginal school under the auspices of the Taichung City Government. It held a local referendum in May to select its name, and authorities approved the change on Aug. 1.
Atayal elders from the local community officiated a traditional blessing ritual to invoke ancestral spirits for the success of the school and its students.
Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said the school is a step toward Aboriginal self-governance, and the city fully supports an educational policy that promotes confidence and identity by teaching Aboriginal history and cultural heritage to future generations.
Many of Taiwan’s 42 schools where experimental education is promoted are located in Aboriginal communities, and P’uma Elementary School is to lead government efforts to broaden Aboriginal education, which will involve the establishment of more Aboriginal experimental schools, as well educational institutions of higher learning, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) said.
“A person without their culture and language is like having life but not a soul. My generation’s souls were stolen from them, but we are happy to see the establishment of an Aboriginal elementary school, and glad to see that elders of the community are willing to be involved in passing on Atayal heritage, to deepen its roots against the transmission-gap crisis,” said Non-Partisan Solidarity Union Legislator May Chin (高金素梅), who is Atayal.
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