Atayal murals

Atayal students in Nan'ao --photo by Mikael Owunna

Last week, Mikael and I walked around the village with our 1st and 2nd grade students in Nan'ao (南澳). We took them to a series of beautiful murals behind the school that depict traditional Atayal culture and way of life (above and left). There are images of Atayal women and men with facial tattoos, weaving, hunting, and farming. Mikael has been teaching them to take photos that depict their cultural background and strengths and we wanted them to use the murals as a background to portray their life as an Atayal. We are also teaching them Atayal words and specific artistic techniques (clay, painting, drawing) so they can learn about Atayal design, patterns, and meaningful stories. We will combine these efforts in a culminating project called "I am Atayal."
     The Atayal murals are everywhere. They are made of paint, tile, cement, and paper. We also see signs of specific patterns (such as diamonds--the ancestors' protective eyes) hidden in little corners, on staircases, on borders. These symbols are not only artistically beautiful, but they are an important reminder to the Atayal children and youth that their culture is valued here. The people in the murals reflect the Atayal words they are learning such as raban skutaw (person of character and undying spirit), klokah (strong), and s'galu lungan (caring).

photo by Mikael Owunna