Written by Nikal Kabala’an (Margaret Yun-Pu Tu).
Image credit: The books and photos displayed in the TEAL. Photo courtesy of Nikal Kabala’an (Margaret Yun-Pu Tu).
This article presents a reflective account from my perspective as one of the curators. It primarily focuses on the “behind the scenes” aspects, adopting an “inside out” approach to share my personal life experiences and the journey of research and curation as a mixed-background Taiwan Indigenous person from the Pangcah/’Amis community and a Ph.D. Candidate studying abroad in the fields of Indigenous Studies, Taiwan Studies, and Law. Supported by the main organisers—the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, the Burke Museum, and the Tateuchi East Asia Library (TEAL)—along with the co-organizers and their collaborative and generous sponsorships, I hope to unfold the narratives and open the dialogues driven by a passion for interdisciplinary pursuits.
This exhibition, primarily led by Dr. Jiun-Yu Liu and myself, is an ongoing project investigating the displacement of Taiwan’s Indigenous holdings. These items were taken far from their communities and ended up in foreign museums. Some institutions, like Burke Museum in Seattle, Washington, have been actively working towards decolonization. They reevaluate the narratives, present collections more inclusively, and collaborate with the originating cultural communities as part of their effort.
The curation of Kuroshio Odyssey: Maritime Memories, Culture, and Landscapes encompasses various concepts that resonate with me, stemming from the exploration of my own positionalities as a young scholar at the University of Washington (UW) and a curator coming from Indigenous communities in Taiwan, eager to have my voice to be heard. Starting from the keywords of decolonization and Indigenous self-determination, I paved my way by selecting books at the UW Libraries and displaying them in the TEAL in accordance with writing the labels for the introduction to the Taiwan Indigenous holdings at the Burke Museum in the mini exhibition.
The labels on these cultural holdings offer essential details, including the date the Burke Museum acquired each item, notes and stories from the donors, and identification of the originating Indigenous communities. However, there have been instances where the origin of a cultural holding was incorrectly identified at the time of collection and documentation. This misidentification often occurred because the descriptions provided by donors were accepted without question, and sometimes, the specific Indigenous community was not recognized or acknowledged by the authoritative body. For example, the Truku were classified as Atayal before they reclaimed their name. The labels are also the canvas where I connect the cultural holdings with the contemporary struggles and challenges of the Taiwan Indigenous peoples. For example, a Pangcah (my community) necklace, a symbol of bravery and dignity, was crafted from boar tusks garnered when hunting. That necklace was purchased from a gift shop in Taiwan around 1950-60s and donated to Burke in 1971 by Mr. Charles W. Ross. I put the question on the label: “How do cultural tourism or the more recent cultural and creative industries affect Indigenous communities?” This inquiry aims to invite visitors to learn more about this topic, extending beyond Taiwan’s Indigenous communities to include others, such as the Native Americans here in Seattle, where cultural misappropriation took place. Meanwhile, it is also a moment for me to understand more about the Pangcah culture under the context of colonial Taiwan, which has led to cultural assimilation and generational disconnections, especially for young/urban Indigenous people like me.
Transitioning to another facet of the exhibition, a pair of substantial tables stand in readiness within TEAL, each displaying a collection of volumes sourced from the extensive archives of the UW Libraries, with a primary focus on materials housed at TEAL itself.
My journey to curating this archival exhibition at TEAL began by enrolling in the course JSISA 588/HSTAS 590: Making Modern Taiwan, an academic endeavour skilfully guided by Professor James Lin within the prestigious UW Taiwan Studies Program. From the inception of this course, my mission has been to delve into an extensive array of literary works centred on Taiwan. This literature encompasses the Indigenous cultures and their collective rights, the multifaceted colonial history of Taiwan, as well as the profound exploration of the intricate tapestry of identities that define the people of Taiwan. Beyond these themes, my pursuit extends to an exploration of broader horizons.
This pursuit of knowledge is motivated by a desire to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the historical and cultural landscape of the Indigenous peoples of Taiwan. It serves as a form of reflexive self-examination driven by my own diverse background. Through this academic voyage, my aim is not only to acquire knowledge but also to contribute to the broader discourse surrounding the rich tapestry of “histories and cultures” in Taiwan from both a scholarly and personal perspective. Scholarly, I created this bibliography regarding the exhibition; as for the personal perspective, I learned more knowledge in the cultures of the Taiwan Indigenous peoples through curating.
In addition to exploring the annals of history, a significant dimension of our exhibition explores the spatial dynamic, with a keen focus on the complexities involved in presenting cultural artefacts. As such, we have thoughtfully curated a selection of books that explore subjects like landscapes, cultural heritage, museums, and cartography, which are instrumental in shedding light on the politics of display. This curated collection aligns with the agenda of “museum decolonization,” encouraging visitors to reflect on the uneven power dynamics concealed in the stories told by museums.
In conjunction with the repository of Taiwanese Indigenous holdings at the Burke Museum and the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Centre, our exhibition proudly showcases books that illuminate the material cultures and arts of these Indigenous communities, encompassing realms such as clothing, music, pottery, and utensils. This inclusion serves as an invaluable resource for visitors, offering them the opportunity to gain deeper insights into the inherent beauty and profound knowledge underlying these cultural treasures. Notably, among our featured works, the book “Formosa Betrayed” by George H. Kerr occupies a prominent place, as it stands as a testament to the enduring connection between the Burke Museum and Mr. Kerr, who generously donated many of the cultural artefacts featured in our mini-exhibition back in 1949. This inclusion pays homage to a legacy of preservation and cultural appreciation that continues to thrive within the heart of our exhibit.
This article was published as part of a special issue on Kuroshio Odyssey Part I: A Curatorial Journey between Taiwan and Seattle.
