Paiwan Culture
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Multi-Colored Glass Beads
Glass beads also known as “Dragonfly beads”, with Bronze knives and ceramic pots together are known as the “Three jewels of the Paiwan”. These are symbolic to the noble family status to pass on from generation to generation, it’s a symbol that represent the noble family, also receiving very high praise from the folk art society. Being one of the three jewels from the tribe, Paiwan tribe’s multi-colored beads not only are colorful, each individual pattern beads have their own symbolic meaning and special power, it represents the faith of the people from the Paiwan Tribe.
Bronze Knives
Bronze knives, in Paiwan tribe called them “ tikuzan ni tagaraus’ in their own language, is similar to the multi-colored beads and ceramic pots to be known as the Paiwan’s noble family status jewels to be passed on from generation to generation, also plays an important role in the process of wedding, compensation, and exchange. Bronze knives is divided into big model and small model, Paiwan Tribe’s native semantic meaning “Universe god’s staff” is to represent these are god’s implements. Big model knife is about 30-40 centimeter long, during weekday it is display in the village’s worship house; the small model knife is about 15 centimeter long, it is use by the sorcerers as one of the divination prayer ritual’s instrument.
Ceramic Pots
To the people of Paiwan tribe, the ceramic pots not only is the ancestral spirits resting place, it is also the womb of a cultural birth. In Taiwan, amongst the south island people, Paiwan tribe is a tribal group full of rich, exquisite craftsmanship, which is display on the every day life through all their objects, especially in multi-colored glass beads and bronze knives that simultaneously being called “The three jewels of the Paiwan”, it symbolically represents ancestral spirits’ resting place, protecting the tribe’s strength (Masculine), securing the tribe’s strength (Feminine).