Taiwan's Indigenes Plan a Symbolic "Mgaya" Headhunt on the ROC

Thursday October 06, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

No doubt spurred on by the success of the recent movie "Seediq Bale" Taiwan's indigenous people are planning a symbolic "Magaya" headhunt of the Republic of China (ROC). As Taiwan prepares for its Double 10 celebrations, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is trying to emphasize the disparity and mis-representation of what is called "A Spectacular Century; Republic of China."

What is the issue? 100 years ago when the 1911 revolution toppled the Manchu Qing Dynastic Rule over its Empire, the ROC was supposedly formed. In reality it only began an on-going Civil War in which numerous parties including the KMT, numerous warlords and later the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were the main contenders.

What Taiwan's indigenous people were pointing out however is that in 1911 Taiwan was a Japanese colony and had nothing to do with the shaky ROC. Further, they were pointing out that just as they got the "shaft" from the colonial Japanese, they also got the shaft from the next in line colonials, the KMT.

There is more that will come from this; on October 9th the indigenous will gather at Central Arts Park in Taipei at 4 pm to perform the Mgaya ceremony followed by music and cultural performances at 6 pm.

It is time that not only the indigenous people and all Taiwanese become more aware of the mis-representation of the slogan, "A Spectacular Century; Republic of China." This awareness is long in coming.