NOTE
Among other valuable suggestions, Dr. Marett has called my attention to the fact that the word “caribou” (sometimes spelt carabao) is used in this book to describe an animal other than the American reindeer. It is quite true that no dictionary would define “caribou” as meaning the hideous, almost hairless, beast of the bovine species used in certain parts of Indonesia for ploughing the rice-paddies, and whose favourite recreation—when not harnessed to the plough—is to lie, or to stand, buried to its neck in muddy water; yet this beast is so called both in the Philippines and in Formosa; that is, by English and Americans resident in these islands. By the Japanese the animal is called sui-gyu; by the Chinese shui-niu (as nearly as the sound can be imitated in English spelling); the characters being the same in both languages, but the pronunciation different.
In connection with the pronunciation and the English spelling of Chinese and Japanese words, the spelling is of course phonetic. This applies to the names of places, as well as to other words. As regards Formosan place names, the difficulty of adequate transliteration is aggravated by the fact that the Chinese-Formosans and the Japanese, while using the same written characters, pronounce the names quite differently. In spelling the names of places, I have followed that system usually adopted in English books. There can, however, be no hard and fast rules for Sino-Japanese spelling; therefore the Japanese gentleman to whom I am indebted for the map who has spelled Keelung with a single “e,” is quite “within his rights” from the point of view of transliteration.
J. B. M. M.
CONTENTS
| PREFACE | pp. [9]-[14] |
| INTRODUCTION | pp. [15]-[18] |
| PART I | |
| DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND AND ITS INHABITANTS | |
| CHAPTER I | |
| IMPRESSIONS FROM A DISTANCE | |
| Scepticism regarding the Existence of a Matriarchate—Glimpse of Formosa from a Steamer’s Deck in passing—Hearsay in Japan concerning the Island Colony—Opportunity of going to Formosa as a Government Official | pp. [27]-[35] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| IMPRESSIONS AT FIRST-HAND | |
| The Voyage from Kobe to Keelung—The History of Formosa as recounted by a Chinese-Formosan—A Visit to a Chinese-Formosan Home—The Scenery of Formosa—Experience with Japanese Officialdom in Formosa | pp. [36]-[68] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| PERSONAL CONTACT WITH THE ABORIGINES | |
| A New Year Visit to the East Coast Tribes—Received by the Taiyal as a Reincarnation of one of the seventeenth-century Dutch “Fathers.” | pp. [69]-[85] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| THE PRESENT POPULATION OF FORMOSA | |
| Hakkas and other Chinese-Formosans, Japanese, Aborigines | pp. [86]-[92] |
| PART II | |
| MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABORIGINAL TRIBES | |
| CHAPTER V | |
| RACIAL STOCK | |
| Physical Appearance pointing to Indoneso-Malay Origin—Linguistic Evidence and Evidence of Handicraft—Tribal Divisions of the Aborigines—Moot Question as to the Existence of a Pigmy People in the Interior of the Island | pp. [95]-[108] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| SOCIAL ORGANIZATION | |
| Head-hunting and associated Customs—“Mother-right” and Age-grade Systems—Property Rights—Sex Relations | pp. [109]-[129] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES | |
| Deities of the Ami and Beliefs of this Tribe regarding Heaven and Hell—Beliefs and Ceremonials of the other Tribes of the South—Descent from Bamboo; Carved Representations of Glorified Ancestors and of Serpents; Moon Worship; Sacred Tree, Orchid, and Grass—The Kindling of the Sacred Fire by the Bunun and Taiyal Tribes—Beliefs and Ceremonials of the Taiyal—Rain Dances; Bird Omens; Ottofu; Princess and Dog Ancestors—Yami Celebrations in Honour of the Sea-god | pp. [130]-[151] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| MARRIAGE CUSTOMS | |
| The Point of View of the Aborigines regarding Sex—Courtship preceding Marriage—Consultation of the Bird Omen and of Bamboo Strips as to the Auspicious Day for the Wedding—The Wedding Ceremony—Mingling by the Priestess of Drops of Blood taken from the Legs of Bride and Groom; Ritual Drinking from a Skull—Honeymoon Trips and the setting-up of House-keeping—Length of Marriage Unions | pp. [152]-[162] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| CUSTOMS CONNECTED WITH ILLNESS AND DEATH | |
| Belief that Illness is due to Evil Ottofu—Ministrations of the Priestess—A Seventeenth-century Dutch Record of the Treatment of the Dying by the Formosan Aborigines—The “Dead Houses” of the Taiyal—Burial of the Dead by the Ami, Bunun, and Paiwan Tribes beneath the Hearth-stone of the Home—“Green” and “Dry” Funerals | pp. [163]-[172] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| ARTS AND CRAFTS | |
| Various Types of Dwelling-houses peculiar to the Different Tribes—Ingenious Suspension-bridges and Communal Granaries common to all the Tribes—Weapons and the Methods of their Ornamentation—Weaving and Basket-making—Peculiar Indonesian Form of Loom—Pottery-making—Agricultural Implements and Fish-traps—Musical Instruments: Nose-flute; Musical Bow; Bamboo Jews’-harp—Personal Adornment | pp. [173]-[185] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| TATTOOING AND OTHER FORMS OF MUTILATION | |
| Cutting away of the Lobes of the Ears and knocking out of the Teeth—Significance of the Different Designs of Tattoo-marking among the Taiyal—Tattooing among the Paiwan | pp. [186]-[192] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| METHODS OF TRANSPORT | |
| Ami Wheeled Vehicle resembling Models found in early Cyprian Tombs—Boat-building and the Art of Navigation on the Decline. | pp. [193]-[197] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| POSSIBILITIES OF THE FUTURE | |
| “Decadent” or “Primitive”—A Dream of White Saviours from the West | pp. [198]-[199] |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
| CIVILIZATION AND ITS BENEFITS | |
| To “wonder furiously”—Better Government, or Worse?—Comparison of Standards—A Conversation with Aborigine Friends—The Question of Money—Tabus | pp. [200]-[215] |
| INDEX | pp. [217]-[220] |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| MAN AND WOMAN OF YAMI TRIBE IN REGALIA WORN AT THE SPRING FESTIVAL IN HONOUR OF THE SEA-GOD | [Frontispiece] |
| FACING PACE | |
| ANTHROPOLOGICAL MAP OF FORMOSA | [27] |
| GATEWAY OF THE OLD CHINESE WALL FORMERLY SURROUNDING THE CITY OF TAIHOKU | [36] |
| “CARIBOU,” OR WATER-BUFFALO, USED BY THE CHINESE-FORMOSANS | [52] |
| MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN OF THE TAIYAL TRIBE ON A STATE VISIT TO THE CITY OF TAIHOKU | [52] |
| AUTHOR IN RICKSHA IN THE CITY OF TAIHOKU | [66] |
| USUAL FORM OF TORO (PUSH-CAR) | [66] |
| TWO MEN OF THE TAIYAL TRIBE BRIBED BY GIFTS TO HAVE THEIR PICTURE TAKEN | [70] |
| AUTHOR IN TORO GOING UP INTO TAIYAL TERRITORY | [70] |
| “FACTORY” FOR EXTRACTING CAMPHOR IN THE MOUNTAINS OF FORMOSA | [90] |
| MEN OF THE BUNUN TRIBE | [98] |
| YAMI TRIBESPEOPLE OF BOTEL TOBAGO IN FRONT OF “BACHELOR-HOUSE” | [98] |
| TAIYAL WOMAN, AND A WOMAN LIVING AMONG THE TAIYAL BELIEVED TO BE PART PIGMY | [102] |
| WOMAN OF YAMI TRIBE OF BOTEL TOBAGO | [102] |
| MAN OF TAIYAL TRIBE AND WOMAN LIVING AMONG THE TAIYAL SUSPECTED OF HAVING A STRAIN OF PIGMY BLOOD | [108] |
| AUTHOR’S SECRETARY MAKING NOTES OF TAIYAL DIALECT | [108] |
| TAIYAL TRIBESPEOPLE | [114] |
| SKULL-SHELF IN A TAIYAL VILLAGE | [114] |
| TWO PAIWAN MEN AND A YOUNG WOMAN IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE OF A PAIWAN CHIEF | [120] |
| FAMILY OF THE AMI TRIBE | [134] |
| GLORIFIED ANCESTOR OF THE PAIWAN TRIBE CARVED ON A SLATE MONUMENT | [134] |
| AUTHOR WITH TWO TAIYAL GIRLS IN FRONT OF TAIYAL HOUSE | [172] |
| TAIYAL WARRIOR IN CEREMONIAL BLANKET | [172] |
| PAIWAN VILLAGE OF SLATE | [176] |
| AUTHOR IN THE DRESS OF A WOMAN OF THE TAIYAL TRIBE | [180] |
| A TAIYAL WOMAN AT HER LOOM | [184] |
| WOMAN OF AMI TRIBE MAKING POTTERY | [184] |