Taiwan Church News
3884 Edition
3 ~ 9 Aug, 2026
Weekly Topical
Siraya Plains Ethnos Name-Rectified and Recognized as the 17th Indigenous People in Taiwan
Reported by Lin Yi-ying from Taipei
In the eve of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, designated on Aug 1, the Executive Yuan held the ceremony called “Siraya Indigenous People’s Name-Rectification and Recognition” on July 30 to announce the Siraya plains ethnos as the 17th indigenous people in Taiwan.
When Premier Cho Jung-tai announced the Siraya ethnos as the 17th indigenous people, “Siraya ta nanang eta!” (meaning: Our name is Siraya) was shouted by Elder Tamag Tavalan, the founding chairman of Siraya Culture Association in Tainan. “We finally come home,” said Mr Tavalan, who had delved into the movement of Siraya people’s name-rectification and legal recognition for decades. The ceremony was unveiled amid a traditional Siraya worship, hosted by a retired Siraya pastor Rev Luo Ren-guei, who led the audience to offer thanksgiving prayer in a hymn sang by the Siraya Onini Bamboo Troupe.
Elder Tamag Tavalan was very jubilant to witness the name-rectification and legal recognition of the Siraya ethnos as the 17th indigenous people in Taiwan, and he earnestly blessed all Siraya people obtaining this wonderful success. He stressed “the name-rectification of the Siraya people is absolutely not a free gift dropped from the heaven, but a hard-won battle of sweats and tears.” “Many have fought hard together along the way,” said he, “there were indeed many frustrations and setbacks, but the Siraya people never give up. Thanks God for leading and living with the Siraya people up to date!”
He said that Taiwan had been continuously ruled by foreign regimes for more than 400 years, and many cultures, languages and identities of the indigenous had been brutally suppressed and erased. “We are very pleased that the Siraya people has become the first plains indigenous ethnos to be name-rectified and recognized with legal status, with the government’s announcement of the Siraya as the 17th indigenous people in Taiwan.”
Speaking in his mother tongue, Mr Alak Akatuang, chairman of the Siraya Culture Association in Tainan, hoped the government could increase financial budget to the indigenous due to an increase of the indigenous population, especially after the Siraya’s name-rectification and possibly more plain ethne to join. In the meantime, he sincerely wished the Siraya people could have the same and full legal rights like the other indigenous peoples being treated across Taiwan.
Mr Ljaucu Zingrur, chairman of the Indigenous Peoples’ Committee of the Executive Yuan, said “as an indigenous compatriot, he can appreciate the dignity of speaking in one’s own mother tongue and being legally recognized as an indigenous person.” He congratulated the Siraya people on the success of its name-rectification. He also thanked the Siraya people, President Lai Ching-de and Mayor Huang Wei-che of Tainan City for their great efforts and supports to facilitate the remarkable achievement.
“Name-rectification of the Siraya ethnos is just a beginning, our goal is to let the Siraya indigenous people have their due legal rights in a near future. And, under Premier Cho Jung-tai’s superb co-ordination across different departments amid the government, the Indigenous Peoples’ Committee will work out a comprehensive review of the relevant resources to serve the Siraya people with substantial legal rights in the coming years, “ pledged Mr Ljaucu Zingrur.
“I know everyone has waited for this moment for a long time,” joyfully remarked Premier Cho, “and I had announced in the Executive Yuan that the Siraya people had become the 17th indigenous people in Taiwan. Everyone has their own name naturally, but it is an incredibly inspiring story that the Siraya people have to fight hard for it with decades.” Quoting President Lai’s sayings, he indicated “the Siraya people has launched an outstanding movement for cultural recovery and name-rectification since 1990.”
“As President Lai had worked hard with the Siraya people, while he served as the mayor of Tainan City, now the government carries on his job to recognize the Siraya as the 17th indigenous people of Taiwan. Name-rectification and recognition is just the very first step to safeguard the dignity of the Siraya people, not the ending goal, as what comes next will be a more critical mission for the government.”
According to the stipulations of Pinpu Indigenous People Status Act, there are still eight other plains indigenous ethne under review in addition of the Siraya people. Premier Cho promised that the government would carry on to offer necessary support for the indigenous peoples in various dimensions: political participation, social welfare, medic care, education, employment, family support, policy, budgets and etc.
Mrs Uma Talavan, daughter of Elder Tamag Tavalan, said in the interview that although the Siraya people have obtained name-rectification and recognition, it would still need time for the government to amend relevant legal acts and institutional rules to offer substantial service. She earnestly hoped that the Legislative Yuan could speed up the related legal amendment, and encourage more plains indigenous people to register their true-color identity when the registration process is ready to start.
Translated by Peter Wolfe
