Category: Austronesian
Taiwan is the original homeland of the Austronesian peoples, whose territories stretch from Taiwan and Maritime Southeast Asia across the Pacific islands of Polynesia and even across the Indian Ocean to Madagascar. Tales in this category are comprised of stories from Taiwan’s indigenous Austronesian—also called Formosan—communities. They represent the mind-bogglingly diverse cultures and languages of Taiwan’s “First Nations” who have called the island home for tens of thousands of years.
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Red Cloak
As newcomers settled in Taiwan, they faced the terror of the island’s notorious headhunters.
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In the Shadows
Fairies, genies and demons—Eurasian hinterlands are home to mythical beings, like Taiwan’s “mô-sîn-á.”
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Bear and Leopard
Black Bears and Clouded Leopards were not always black and spotted. This is their tale.
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The Great Flood
From the Holy Bible to Taiwan’s indigenous Formosan tales, flood myths feature widely in ancient literature.
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Our Lady’s Child?
Take a guess: Is this a German fairy tale? Or is it a Taiwanese folktale? Explore the secret behind stories from opposite sides of the earth.
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Matriarch
In the ancient homeland of the Amis and Puyuma peoples on Taiwan’s Pacific coast, women once ruled. Learn about these traditional matriarchal societies!
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Dwarves Who Fell
From pygmies to dwarves, legends of “little folk” exist all over the world, including Taiwan.
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Paiwan Origin Myths
The Paiwan people have many origin myths. Here is a sampling of these Paiwan origin tales.
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Tattooed Faces
The Atayal are an ancient Austronesian tribe indigenous to Taiwan. This is their origin story.
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The Rooster’s Crow
Why do roosters crow? Why do stags have antlers? Why are dogs good deer-hunting companions?