Kavalan people: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Indigenous ethnic group of Taiwan}}

| native_name = {{native name|ckv|kbaran, kebalan}}

| total_year = 2018

| related = Other [[Taiwanese Aborigines]]<br/>Especially [[Basay people|Basay]] and [[Qauqaut people|Qauqaut]]

The '''Kavalan''' ([[endonym]] {{lang|ckv|kbalan}} {{IPA-xx|kɨβaɾán|}}; "people living in the plain"; {{zh|t=噶瑪蘭族}}) or '''Kuvalan''' are an [[Taiwanese indigenous peoples|indigenous people]] of [[Taiwan]]. Most of them moved to the coastal area of [[Hualien County]] and [[Taitung County]] in the 19th century due to encroachment by [[Han Chinese|Han]] settlers. Their language is also known as [[Kavalan language|Kavalan]]. Currently, the largest settlement of Kavalan is Xinshe ([[Kavalan language|Kavalan]]: {{lang|ckv|pateRongan}}) Village in [[Fengbin|Fengbin Township]], [[Hualien County]].

{{More citations needed section|date=December 2021}}

Legend has it that the Kavalan arrived by [[sea]] from the [[east]] and that when they saw the stunning beauty of this location, they decided then and there to settle this bountiful land. The newly arrived Kavalan fought many battles against the local [[Atayal people]], and in the end the Kavalan drove the Atayal into the mountains—true to their name "Kavalan", which means "flatland people". That name subsequently morphed into "Hamalan", ultimately yielding the modern-day [[Yilan City]]. They were referred as '''36 Kavalan tribes''' (蛤仔難三十六社), although there were more than 60. In the past, tribes north of the [[Lanyang River]] were called Sai-sè-hoan (西勢番) while those south of the river were Tang-sè-hoan (東勢番).

The earliest record of the Kavalan in history was in 1632, when a Spanish ship went astray to this area by a [[typhoon]]. More clear record came in 1650 by the [[Dutch East India Company]] (VOC). Reportedly, at some point there was a Spanish province of {{lang|es|Cabarán}} in the area. Han Chinese tried to settle in the area as early as 1768. However, settlement did not succeed until 1796, when {{ill|Ngô͘ Soa|zh|吳沙}} established the first village (now [[Toucheng, Yilan|Toucheng]]). Eventually, many more [[Han Chinese]] entered this area and the life of Kavalan was forced to change. Many of them moved to Beipu Village (in Sincheng Township of [[Hualien County]]) between 1830 and 1840.

== Culture ==

=== Clothing ===

In the past, Kavalan`s men sometimes opted for shorter garments or exposing their chests and backs. The Han Chinese influence brought about the introduction of cotton clothing in the [[Han Chinese|Han]] style.<ref name=":0">CHENG, Hsiu-Jung. ''台灣原住民的服飾藝術研究''. Fine Arts Department, Master's Program, College of Arts Chinese Culture University. 2014. https://student.hlc.edu.tw/action/file/39/20210929102729977.pdf</ref>

Kavalan people wear traditional clothes only during important traditional performances and ritual practices.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Culture |url=https://tour.taitung.gov.tw/en/discover/culture |website=Taitung County Government}}</ref> These traditional attires of the Kavalan community are unisex and are characterized by simplicity, typically featuring only one or two colors, predominantly black or white, and lack elaborate dyeing and colorful geometric patterns. The upper garments are practically identical for both men and women. The white shirt has a round neck, long sleeves, and a row of Chinese-style buttons in the middle, adorned with black cloth on the front.<ref name=":0" /> The lower garment usually consists of a skirt, commonly in black or white.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kavalan |url=https://en.tacp.gov.tw/Indigenous/ItemDetail?ID=831161e9-773c-4df1-bb99-8a5bdcbc5b89 |website=Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center}}</ref> Chiefs, elders, and shamans make an exception to this attire by wearing black pants and black shirt.<ref>CHEN, I-chun. ''The Making of Ethnicity in Postwar Taiwan: a case study of Kavalan ethnic identity''. University of London, 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344281316_The_making_of_ethnicity_in_postwar_Taiwan_a_case_study_of_Kavalan_ethnic_identity.</ref>

A crucial element in the crafting of Kavalan clothing is banana fiber. The Kavalan people weave this fiber into hemp fabric, which is then used for creating traditional Kavalan attire, as well as daily necessities and accessories like belts, straw capes, and tote bags, often complementing their traditional clothing.<ref>LIN, YI-Shiang; LIN, Ming-Huang.  Exploring Indigenous Craft Materials and Sustainable Design—A Case Study Based on Taiwan Kavalan Banana Fibre. ''Sustainability'' 14, no. 13: 7872. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137872.</ref>

==Karewan incident==

In 1878, the Kavalan, and their [[Sakizaya people|Sakizaya]] allies, fought a devastating battle against [[Qing dynasty|Qing]] invaders after a dispute with Qing officials led to a local uprising.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Faure |first=David |title=In Search of the Hunters and Their Tribes |publisher=Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines Publishing |year=2001 |isbn=957-30287-0-0 |editor-last=Faure |editor-first=D. |location=Taipei |pages=19–21 |language=en |chapter=Mountain Tribes Before Japanese Occupation}}</ref> This event ended in disaster for both communities with many of their members slaughtered in the {{ill|Takobowan incident|zh|加禮宛事件}}<ref name="Journal">{{Cite web |last=Tsai |first=June |date=January 26, 2007 |title=Sakizaya Becomes the 13th Indigenous Group |url=http://taiwanjournal.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=23760&CtNode=122 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070630101000/http://taiwanjournal.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=23760&CtNode=122 |archive-date=2007-06-30 |access-date=May 5, 2007 |website=Taiwan Journal |language=en}}</ref> (also known as the “Galeewan Incident”<ref name="Sakizaya Geo" /> or “Kalyawan Battle”).<ref name="Sakizabstract">{{Cite web |last=Tsai |first=Li-huang |date=2004 |title=A Comparative Study of Sakizaya and Amis in Hualien by Mitochondrial DNA Sequences Analysis (abstract) |url=http://203.64.79.89/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0824105-223948 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529220937/http://203.64.79.89/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0824105-223948 |archive-date=2011-05-29 |access-date=March 2, 2008 |language=en}}</ref> Others were displaced by [[Han Chinese|Han]] settlers.<ref name="Sakizaya Geo">{{Cite web |title=Sakizaya Geographic Distribution |url=http://www.apc.gov.tw/english/docDetail/detail_ethnic.jsp?cateID=A001091&linkSelf=290&linkRoot=101&parentCateID=A001089 |url-status= |access-date=February 28, 2008 |website=Taiwanese Council of Indigenous Peoples}}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref> The remaining Sakizaya, meanwhile, were forced to blend with other peoples, such as the [[Amis people|Amis]], with the intention of protecting their identity.<ref name="BBC">{{Cite web |date=2007-01-17 |title=Taiwan Recognises 'Lost' People |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6271819.stm |access-date=January 19, 2007 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

* [[Plains indigenous peoples]]

* [[Taiwanese indigenous peoples]]

* [[Kavalan Distillery]]

{{Taiwanese indigenous peoples}}

[[Category:Taiwanese indigenous peoples]]

[[Category:Ethnic groups in Taiwan]]