Archery Carnival in Taitung
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BY BRUCE YOUNG APRIL 2 , 2018
The national traditional aboriginal archery competition was held in Taitung County on March 24. In order to learn more about the event, we interviewed Ms.溫 who competed this year.
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| the photo with permission from Ms.溫 |
Q: Which tribe do you belong to?
A: Puyuma.
Q: How did you and your tribe members make the bow and arrow?
A: We use traditional material like bamboo and wood to make our bows and arrows. We don’t make them by ourselves nowadays. We pay professional artisans to make it because they have a certain format.
Q: What is the importance of archery in your culture?
A: In the past, we used these traditional weapons to hunt for our food. Nowadays we hold this event to preserve the tradition and to tell our children about our culture.
Q: How often does your tribe hold the competition?
A: For the biggest one, it’s about once a year. But we’ve got friendly competitions once or twice a month for teams in my tribe to practice.
Q: How often do you practice?
A: For me, archery is a relaxing sport. I don’t really take serious practice time. I just practice when I have time.
Q: How do you practice?
A: We will practice archery at a small shooting range in the elementary school. We have a leader and coach to teach us the right position.
Q: Why and when did you start to practice archery?
A: I have practiced it for almost three years. I do it because it’s kind of a relaxing activity, and also I can get exercise through archery.
Q: Does archery have an age limit to play?
A: Not really. We have teams for children, adults, and elders.
Q: What does archery mean to you?
A: It’s a sport and also has a cultural meaning. I like the positive feeling when I play with my teammates. I play it with my husband. I think archery can improve our relationship. And it also improves coordination as well.
Q: Will you teach your children how to do archery?
A: I have two daughters. They tried archery before, but they didn’t really show any interest. So I decided to teach them when the time comes.
Q: Puyuma is a maternal society. Are there any taboos for women?
A: In the formal festival, women cannot touch the weapons or go hunting in the mountains. But we can play archery when it’s not an official one.
Q: What does “maternal society” means?
A: It means women are the boss of a family. When a marriage comes, the man has to enter the woman’s family.
