Indigenous Amis Teens Learn Traditional Customs and Conservation Techniques
Every July, Indigenous Amis communities in southeast Taiwan hold a coming-of-age festival where elders teach teens how to fish with traditional bamboo baskets. But this year, local fishing populations have declined. Conservationists and community elders are now working together to preserve traditions by equipping their youth with cultural and environmental knowledge.
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00:00These teenagers in southeastern Taiwan are keeping a centuries-old fishing custom alive.
00:05Every July, seven indigenous Amish communities in Taitung come together to hold a coming-of-age festival,
00:11where elders teach the next generation how to fish with traditional bamboo cages.
00:22But this year, they've struggled to catch any fish.
00:26Do you have any fish?
00:27No, we don't.
00:28The elders say they've seen a dip in the numbers of fish in the nearby Beinan River.
00:32That's why this year, the local government has hired conservationists
00:36to teach the teenagers about the area's ecology and the things that threaten it.
00:41The fish population has been over-populated,
00:45which has led to a relative decrease in the fish population in Beinan.
00:54The conservationists say it's important for young people to learn how to conserve the area's local fish
00:59and remove invasive species.
01:08This year marks the 10th anniversary of the joint Amish coming-of-age festival,
01:13and it's the first time that matters of conservation have been part of the ceremony.
01:17The hope is that the next generation will not only be equipped with the skills to fish in the traditional way,
01:22but also know how to look after the local river ecosystem.
01:26John Hsu and Wessie Lewis for Taiwan Plus.