New life for traditional weaving of Taroko Tribe: Taroko Visitor Center to display creative weavings by students of Jiamin Elementary School
In order to continue the weaving culture of the Taroko Tribe, students of Jiamin Elementary School in Hualien County attempted innovations in tradition to bring new life to traditional weaving with proud outcomes. From January 22 to March 21, a total of 32 works by students of Jiamin Elementary Schools will be displayed at the Exhibition Room of the Taroko Visitor Center. The school has only 76 students, and 65 are from Taroko Tribe. In order to preserve the traditional weaving technique of the tribe, the school began training third to sixth grade girls to weave 14 years ago and tried different methods and techniques about 3 years ago. In traditional Taroko weaving, linen is the main material and checks are the major patterns to present "the eye of ancestral spirit." In the ancient time, only virtuous girls good at weaving were qualified to tattoo their face and find a good spouse. Apart from fulfilling daily necessity, weaving technique was a prerequisite for adulthood recognition in the past, as well as a link to the vuvu belief, which is part of the deep cultural content of Taroko Tribe.