Dear Friend,

	Earthenware dolls used by children of the Yami tribe

The first people to live in Taiwan are thought to have arrived more than six thousand years ago, possibly from southeast China. Today, more than 350,000 descendants of the original inhabitants live here. These communities of people are divided into eleven aboriginal tribes. Their tribal structure is similar to that of Native Americans living in the United States.

Aboriginal culture is an important part of Taiwan’s history, so we visited the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines. We learned a little about each tribe and saw many artifacts from their cultures. We saw clay dolls that were used by children of the Yami tribe. We saw beautiful woven clothing and beaded jewelry made by various tribes. I liked seeing the clothes that had lots of buttons but no buttonholes. Long ago, the aborigines would often receive buttons when trading with foreigners. Having buttons on their clothes was a sign of success.

	Paiwan tribe stone house

In another part of Taipei, we saw a stone house that is commonly used by members of the Paiwan tribe. We learned about these houses at the museum. Slate is a very common stone in the mountains of southern Taiwan (where the Paiwan live), and slate houses provide good shelter from typhoons. They’re also cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The house in the photo would have been built for a chieftain. (The wood carving just below the roof line indicates the status of the owner.)

Your friend,

Carla