[The Epoch Times, November 16, 2023](Epoch Times special reporters Ni Er and Senlinda reported from Brisbane, Australia) The first overseas “Australian Taiwan Aboriginal Association” (ATIA) was lively in Brisbane on November 11 The founding meeting is held. The purpose of the association is to promote aboriginal culture and communicate with the multicultural society of Australia and New Zealand.
Representatives of Australian Aboriginals, Queensland political circles, business circles and overseas Chinese leaders gathered at the Queensland Taiwan Center, and the Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives, His Excellency Milton Dick, also sent a greeting card to congratulate the establishment of the association. The association is Australia’s first non-governmental organization composed of Taiwanese aborigines.
The founding meeting was presided over by Lin Jiping, CEO of the Macao-Taiwan Cultural Foundation. First, Aunty Peggy, an Australian aboriginal elder of Chinese descent, offered her blessing. She said: “With the establishment of the Taiwan Aboriginal Association in Australia, I see that young people are already here. Young people who are the future leaders of the community are taking a big step to show that they can be the leaders of the culture of the future.”
Peggy encouraged members of the association to possess knowledge, strength and wisdom as future young leaders. Finally, she presented the drum sticks (Clapsticks) commonly used in Australian Aboriginal dance to the “Australian Taiwan Aboriginal Association” to establish friendship, and President Chen Ping accepted it.
President Chen Ping of the “Australian Taiwanese Aboriginal Association” thanked all walks of life for participating in the blessing. He said: “In the embrace of the blessings of our ancestors, on the sacred land of Australia, with high respect for the elders who represent multiculturalism, I would like to represent the Taiwanese Aboriginal people of Australia. Association members, sincerely welcome the official launch of ATIA. I wish everyone good health and happiness.”
Director Fan Houlu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brisbane congratulated President Chen Ping on the successful establishment of the “Australian Taiwan Aboriginal Association”. He said, “Taiwan and Australia are both countries that integrate diverse cultures and respect the roots of their aborigines, so the establishment of the Taiwan Aboriginal Association of Australia in Brisbane is particularly meaningful.
“Aboriginal friends are the pioneers in the development of Taiwan. They work hand in hand with other ethnic groups on this beautiful land of Taiwan and become a community of life.
“The Chinese government has long attached great importance to the rights and interests of indigenous peoples, and has actively promoted and strengthened various exchanges and cooperation among indigenous peoples internationally.
“The Australian Taiwanese Aboriginal Association organized by President Chen Ping can not only strengthen the preservation of Aboriginal art and culture and take root of the precious spirit of Taiwanese Aboriginals in Australian society, I believe it will also enhance exchanges on Aboriginal affairs between Taiwan and Macao in the future, so that Australia has a better understanding of the cultural characteristics of Taiwan’s aborigines and is marketing them to Taiwan.”
In March 2022, Taiwan joined the “Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA)”. Taiwan, New Zealand, Canada and Australia jointly became founding members of IPETCA, symbolizing the four countries’ commitment to improving indigenous peoples’ economic and trade cooperation. A shared commitment to national economic rights.
Chairman of the Taiwan Aboriginal Peoples Council Yi Jiang Baluer will attend the 2nd World Aboriginal Tourism Summit in Perth in March 2023 and announced that the 3rd one will be held in Taiwan in March 2024.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture sponsors a Taiwan-Macao Aboriginal Art Exchange Program at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), inviting Australian Aboriginal artists and scholars to Taiwan to visit Miaoli and Taitung Aboriginal villages in June 2023. In July, Taiwanese Aboriginal artists Visit Queensland with academics.
In addition to cultural exchanges, both parties will also study future cooperation opportunities and establish possible art marketing networks.
Australian Senator Paul Scarr and Federal Representative Graham Perrett, co-chairman of the Australian Parliament Taiwan Friendship Group, also offered their blessings at the inaugural meeting today. Senator Perrette especially gave the Aboriginal culture and history books and picture albums brought back from Taiwan to young Taiwanese Aboriginals in Australia.
Members of the “Australian Taiwan Aboriginal Association” performed the Amis dance “Naruwan Love Song” and received warm applause. Uncle Toka Tuteru, the leader of the Cook Islands and Maori communities in Brisbane, also presented the association with an indigenous necklace hanging around his neck, and his daughter Herotia Tuteru performed the Cook Islands blessing. dance.
Taiwan has 16 aboriginal groups, and Australia has more than 200 different indigenous groups and ethnic groups, each with its own language and culture.
Queensland Department of Multicultural Affairs Inspector Jacqi Honeywood said: “Taiwanese Aboriginal culture is famous for its music, dance and vibrant festivals celebrating its cultural heritage. Australian Aboriginal culture includes unique art, dance and rich history s story.
“This is where two worlds meet, two cultures connect, and where we discover differences and similarities that enrich our shared experience.”
Chen Qiuyan, Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee member, recounted the journey of establishing an Aboriginal association in Australia: “I have been serving as a volunteer in the community for nearly 30 years and have seen the prosperity of the overseas Chinese community in Queensland.
“The Cultural Association has also invited Tainan aborigines to perform dance performances, organize aboriginal oil painting exhibitions by Zhang Wensong, etc., but the Taiwan Aboriginal Association is the only one missing.”
Through team coordination, we established an Aboriginal association to promote Taiwan’s Aboriginal culture and learn and share with Australia’s multicultural exchanges.
Honorary Chairman Shi Xiongwei of the Paiwan tribe also blessed the establishment of the association with a video. Finally, members of the Aboriginal Association sang the Bunun song “From This Moment”, and everyone worked hard to contribute to cultural heritage.
President Chen Ping said in an interview that the association will participate in cultural performances in Australia: “We want to promote the characteristics of Taiwan’s aboriginal people, this special thing, in Australia. Spread these concepts and performance culture.”
Editor in charge: Li Xinci
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Tags: Australian Taiwanese Aboriginal Association established promote cultural exchange inheritance Multiculturalism Brisbane ATIA
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