Where Has the Land Gone?
- Politics
- History
- Investigative
- Author's Point of View
- Ethnology
Synopsis
Mabanan is an Atayal settlement in Miaoli County, where the filmmaker was born. During the Japanese colonial rule of Taiwan, most of the indigenous community's land was seized and registered as state-owned forest. Later, the Kuomintang (KMT) government imposed even more restrictions on the use of the land. How would the Mabanan community reclaim their homeland when the government still refused to recognize proofs of residence of their ancestors?
Director Statement
My initial goal was to record the diminishing Atayal culture and pass down the legacy through moving images, but after further investigation, I discovered that the extensive loss of land was a even more serious issue among my people. When I was young, my grandfather proudly pointed out a piece of land and said to me: "Look, Pilin! Over there is the land passed down from our Atayal ancestors." My grandfather's words and our community elders' hopes were my greatest support through difficult times. This documentary only highlights the problems, but the eventual solutions must come from my people's efforts.
Festivals & Awards
1998 Golden Harvest Awards - Merit Prize
1998 Taiwna International Documentary Festival - Asian Images
1998 Golden Harvest Awards
1998 Taiwan International Documentary Festival
Team
Gallery
