Anthropology

A combination of ancient knowledge and modern research techniques may be closing the gap between who some of the earliest people to settle in Taiwan could have been and its current residents. The key to the earliest chapters of Taiwan’s history may lie in the stories and traditions of groups like the Saisiyat Indigenous people.



February 3, 2025
Updated on Jan 31, 2025
By Ashish Valentine

Members of the Indigenous Saisiyat community perform a series of 16 songs alongside ritual dances, representing the knowledge that the Koko Ta’ay gave to their ancestors a long time ago.

Ashish Valentine/The World

Indigenous knowledge, along with the newest discoveries, could peel back the story of some of the earliest humans to settle in present-day Taiwan.

It wasn’t until around 400 years ago that the first Chinese settlers arrived — just a few years after the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts.

Before that, Taiwan was home to Indigenous Austronesian peoples. Over time, some sailed away, settling in other parts of Southeast Asia or even as far away as Madagascar, New Zealand and Hawaii. Others have remained to this day — and now makeup 16 officially recognized Indigenous groups in Taiwan.

One of those groups, the Saisiyat, is known throughout Taiwan for maintaining an ancient spiritual connection through stories and rituals passed down over countless generations. That connection and new scientific discoveries may help unravel a mysterious chapter of Taiwan’s past.

More:
https://theworld.org/stories/2025/02/03/new-discoveries-shed-light-on-some-of-the-earliest-humans-to-settle-in-taiwan