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Saisiyat

 

 

 

* A-Whai Ya Dayen — Custodian of Saisiyat-style rattan weaving

 

* Video: Saisiyat PaSta'ay Preparation: Papoe'oe

 

* Video: Saisiyat Symbol "Wa:on" on Handicrafts

 

* Video: Saisiyat Tinato' Ceremony

 

* Video: Saisiyat Submits Autonomous Protocol

 

SAISIAT

 

Excerpts from Wikipedia.org

The Saisiyat (賽夏) ("true people"), also spelled Saisiat are an indigenous people of Taiwan, part of the larger Taiwanese aborigine ethnic group. In the year 2000 the Saisiyat numbered 5,311. This was approximately 1.3% of Taiwan's total indigenous population. Currently, there are around 5,000 members of the Saisiyat, making them one of the smallest aboriginal groups in Taiwan. The Saisiyat inhabit western Taiwan, overlapping the border between Hsinchu County and Miaoli County. They are divided into the Northern Branch (五峰; Wufong in the mountainous Hsinchu area) and the Southern Branch (Nanya and Shitan in the highlands of Miaoli), each with its own dialect. Their language is also known as Saisiyat.

Saisiyat is sometimes rendered as Saiset, Seisirat, Saisett, Saisiat, Saisiett, Saisirat, Saisyet, Saisyett, Amutoura, or Bouiok.

 

Language

Saisiyat is the language of the Saisiyat, a tribe of indigenous people on Taiwan. It is a Formosan language of the Austronesian family. It has approximately 4,750 speakers.

The language area of Saisiyat is small, situated in the northwest of the country between the Hakka Chinese and Atayal regions in the mountains (Wufeng-hsiang, Hsinchu, Nanchuang-hsiang, Miaoli).

Today, one thousand Saisiyat people do not use the Saisiyat language. Many young people use Hakka or Atayal instead, and few children speak Saisiyat. Hakka Chinese speakers, Atayal speakers and Saisiyat speakers live more or less together. Many Saisiyat are able to speak Saisiyat, Hakka, Atayal, Mandarin, and, sometimes, Min Nan as well. Although Saisiyat has a relatively large number of speakers, the language is endangered.

 

 

 

Classification of Austronesian Languages

• Tsouic
  • Tsou
  • Saaroa
  • Kanakanabu
• Western Plains
  • Thao (AKA Sao. Brawbaw, Shtafari dialects)
  • Central Western Plains
    • Babuza (Taokas, Poavosa dialects)
    • Popora-Hoanya (Popora, Hoanya dialects)
• Northwest Formosan
  • Saisiyat (Taai, Tungho dialects)
  • Pazeh (AKA Kulun)
• Atayalic
  • Atayal
  • Seediq (AKA Truku, Taroko)
• East Formosan
  • Northern (Kavalanic)
    • Basai (Trobiawan, Linaw-Qauqaul dialects)
    • Kavalan
    • Ketagalan
  • Central (Ami)
    • Nataoran (North Amis)
    • Amis
  • Siraya
  • Malayo-Polynesian
• Bunun
• Rukai (Mantauran, Tona, and Maga dialects are divergent)
• Puyuma
• Paiwan (southern tip of Formosa)

 

 

Saisiyat Distribution Map

(Map from Digital Museum of Taiwan Indigeneous Peoples)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Images from Digital Archives

賽夏族大隘社頭目Taro Umao(豆姓)

(The three lines on his chest probably express success in battles of yore)

 

賽夏族大隘社Iban Taro之妻(左) 及太郎之妻

 

賽夏族大隘社頭目一家男子

 

小坪駐在所旁賽夏婦女五人

 

小坪駐在所前的賽夏男子七人

 

大東河社張慶昌氏外三名

 

 

Images from The Gerald Warner Taiwan Image Collection

Saisiat Couple

The main piece of clothing for Saisiat men is a sleeveless long jacket, either knee length, or abdomen length. It is made by two pieces of cloth sewn together in back, with the front left open; two strings in front tie the jacket. A waist-skirt is used to cover the private parts, a long cape to cover the whole body. Women's clothes are long-sleeved jackets, and one-piece long skirt. The ornaments "are beads, shells, silver or copper bracelets, and rings. The leg ornament is a string of shell-bead and glass-bead, tied beneath the knee. A woven cloth tied at both ends with woolen yarn is used as a drop cloth" (Tung 1996, p. 232).

 

Saisiat Head-dress

Five Saisiat men facing away from the camera; one is wearing large head-dress. Using 100s of strips of paper, these head-dresses are used for a changing-of-the year grand festival. The location is Garawan village in Taizhong (Suzuki 1935, p.31).

 

Saisiat Men with Spears, Machetes, Guns and Hunting Dogs

 

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* 從醫學資料看臺灣的族群融合 by 陳順勝

6,000年前 南島語族遷移來臺灣發展族群：泰雅族、鄒族、賽夏、巴則海、洪雅族 　

5,000年前 排灣族群：排灣、卑南、魯凱族群遺址 (卑南遺址) 　

2,000年前 凱達格蘭族遷回臺灣

1,500年前 阿美族在靜浦─靜浦文化，鐵器時代 　

1,000年前 猴猴族遷回臺灣或由泰雅族分出(？) 　　

500年前 雅美族由菲律賓巴丹島移居蘭嶼

 

* Recent Anthropological Genetic Study of Taiwan Indigenous Populations by Shu-Juo Chen, et al.

Y-chromosome Haplotype Frequency Distribution in Asian and Oceanic Populations

Populations	N	H1	H2	H3	H4	H5	H6	H7	H8	H9	H10	H11	H12	H14	H16	H17
Bunun	17					5.9				17.6	58.8		17.6
Atayal	22						4.5			95.5
Yami	7							14.3		71.4	14.3
Paiwan	22								9.1	63.6	27.3
Ami	19							31.6	5.3	36.8	26.3
Puyuma	11							9.1		72.7	9.1			9.1
Tsou	18							5.6		88.9	5.6
Rukai	11									81.8	18.2
Saisiat	11							27.3		45.5	9.1	9.1	9.1
Thao	11					9.1		9.1		72.7	9.1
Pazah	11					18.2		27.3		18.2	36.4

 

The Phylogeny of Y-chromosome Haplotypes in East Asians (H1-H17) from Natives or Immigrants: Modern human origin in east Asia by Li Jin and Bing Su

 

* An Anthropological Genetic Study of Taiwan Aborigines Using Y-Chromosome-Specific Microsatellite Variation by 朱家琳

Abstract: This study analyzed the genetic variation of seven Y-chromosomal microsatellite loci (DYS19, DYS388, DYS389, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392 and DYS393) of 240 unrelated male individuals from eight Taiwan aboriginal populations (Atayal, Amis, Bunun, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiat and Tsou) to investigate genetic affinities among these populations and their population history. A total of 79 different haplotypes among 240 males were observed in the study, of which 51 (65%) were each found in a single male only, and 13 (16%) were shared between populations. Analysis of gene diversity indicated that several studied populations have experienced substantial genetic isolation with a reduction in male effective sizes, or have suffered bottlenecks in the past (e.g. Paiwan, Bunun, Tsou and Atayal). All the haplotypes were divided into three main subgroups based on stepwise mutation model. Furthermore, the studied populations were categorized by their predominant haplotypes. According to their haplotype distributions, these eight populations were divided into four groups: (1) Paiwan, Rukai and Puyuma (2) Atayal, Bunun and Tsou (3) Amis and (4) Saisiat. st statistics identified close genetic affinities among the populations in group 1. On the other hand, that the allelic and haplotype distributions of the populations in group 2 were distinct from each other, which suggested that gene flow among these neighboring populations were limited. It is not easy to analyze the genetic variation of Saisiat and Amis because of their complex haplotype distributions. The special allelic distribution of Amis might result from more than one bottleneck occurred in the past or genetic admixture of more than one populations.

 

* mtDNA Analysis of Bunun Remains Stored in the National Taiwan University by Shinoda Ken-ichi

Abstract: The Bunun tribe is one of the aboriginal Taiwanese populations living in the central mountain area of Taiwan. In this study, we analyzed the sequence variability of hypervariable region I and II of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in order to investigate the relationships between modern and historical Bunun populations. mtDNA sequences were retrieved from 25 of 34 samples that were obtained from the historical Bunun skeletal remains stored in National Taiwan University. In combination with the mtDNA data of 8 extant Taiwan aboriginal populations, we carried out phylogenetic analysis based on haplogroup frequency data. The results show that the genetic structure of the historical Bunun population is a complex matriline and that these samples share the same haplogroup with the extant Bunun population. Analysis of the genetic composition of the aboriginal populations also reveals an important ethnic heterogeneity of the present aboriginal Taiwanese. Analysis of genetic distances based on haplogroup frequencies revealed 2 distinct clusters composed of northern and central mountain groups (Atayal, Saistat, and Bunun) and east coast and southern mountain groups (Paiwan, Rukai, Amis, and Yami). The mtDNA haplogroups in the Taiwan aboriginal populations were found to be different from those in the Chinese and Taiwan-Han population; therefore, these Taiwan aboriginal haplogroups might have stemmed from the gene pool of the initial late Pleistocene settlers. Genetic diversity among the aboriginal populations may be attributed to the prolonged isolation and random genetic drift after the single introduction of all mtDNA haplogroups into Taiwan. Our experiments also indicate the availability of the past skeletal remains for verifying the hypotheses formulated on the basis of genetic data derived from the present populations.

 

* Mitochondrial DNA Polymorphisms in Nine Aboriginal Groups of Taiwan: Implications for the population history of aboriginal Taiwanese by A. Tajima, et al.

Abstract: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphisms in the D-loop region and the intergenic COII/tRNA(Lys) 9-bp deletion were examined in 180 individuals from all nine aboriginal Taiwanese groups: Atayal, Saisiat, Bunun, Tsou, Rukai, Paiwan, Ami, Puyuma, and Yami. A comparison of 563-bp sequences showed that there were 61 different sequence types, of which 42 types were specific to respective aboriginal groups. D-loop sequence variation and phylogenetic analysis enabled the 180 aboriginal lineages to be classified into eight monophyletic clusters (designated C1-C8). Phylogeographic analysis revealed that two (C2 and C4) of the eight clusters were new characteristic clusters of aboriginal Taiwanese and accounted for 8.3% and 13.9% of the aboriginal lineages, respectively. From the estimated coalescent times for the two unique clusters, the mtDNA lineages leading to such clusters were inferred to have been introduced into Taiwan approximately 11,000-26,000 years ago, suggesting ancient immigrations of the two mtDNA lineages. Genetic distances, based on net nucleotide diversities between populations, revealed three distinct clusters that were comprised of northern mountain (Atayal and Saisiat), southern mountain (Rukai and Paiwan), and middle mountain/east coast (Bunun, Tsou, Ami, Puyuma, and Yami) groups, respectively. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of 16 human populations (including six other Asian populations and one African population) confirmed that the three clusters for aboriginal Taiwanese had remained largely intact. Each of the clusters (north, south, and middle-east coast) was characterized by a high frequency of a particular lineage (C4, C2, and 9-bp deletion, respectively). This may result from random genetic drift among the aboriginal groups after a single introduction of all the mtDNA lineages into Taiwan, but another plausible explanation is that at least three genetically distinct ancestral populations have contributed to the maternal gene pool of aboriginal Taiwanese.

 

* A Comparative Study of Sakizaya and Amis in Hualien by Mitochondrial DNA Sequences Analysis by Li-huang Tsai

NJ Tree

 

UPGMA Tree

 

* Traces of Archaic Mitochondrial Lineages Persist in Austronesian-Speaking Formosan Populations by Jean A. Trejaut, et al.

Principal Components Analysis

 

* More Genetic Sharing among the Population of Taiwan than Expected: A plain tribes (Pinpu) perspective by Marie Lin, et al.

Mitochondrial DNA (Neighbor Joining Phylogram)

 

* The Spectrum of Microsatellite Loci on Chromosomes 7 and 8 in Taiwan Aboriginal Populations: A comparative population genetic study by Wei CC, et al.

Abstract: Sixteen microsatellite loci on chromosomes 7 and 8 of Han-Taiwanese and six Taiwan aboriginal populations were systematically analyzed by a high-resolution multiple-fluorescence-based polymerase chain reaction technique. Analysis of allele frequency distribution indicated the genetic divergence among these populations. Several alleles were unique to specific tribes. Only the D8S556 locus deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all tribes. Its F(IS) level, as calculated with the Nei method, was also higher and more homozygous than expected. Therefore, with the exception of D8S556, these variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) loci are suitable genetic markers for forensic and paternal testing. The F(ST) level, as the proportion of the total variation among these tribes, ranged from 1.4% at the D7S484 locus to 6.8% at the D7S550 locus. The average F(ST) was 3.9%, suggesting that there were substantial variations among these populations. The genetic identity analysis and the genetic distance analysis reached the same conclusions, viz., that the Ami and the Paiwan tribes were genetically close to each other, that the Atayal tribe was relatively unique compared with other tribes, and that the Saisiat tribe was relatively close to the Han-Taiwanese. A dendrogram for these tribes was further constructed by the UPGMA method. These VNTR data not only facilitate forensic and paternity testing, but also provide anthropometric information for further elucidating the relationship of Taiwan populations to the Austronesian family.

 

* Population Genetic Studies on Nine Aboriginal Ethnic Groups of Taiwan - Red Cell Enzyme Systems by Feng Jin, et al.

NJ Dendrogram

 

* Heterogeneity of Taiwan’s Indigenous Population: Possible relation to prehistoric Mongoloid dispersals by m. Lin, et al.

Neighbor-joining tree of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, Asians, North American Indians and Oceanians

Taiwan’s indigenous groups were found clustering together and adjacent to Maori and PNG Highlanders. Pazeh showed affinity with ‘Taiwanese’ (Hoklo, Hakka)

 

* HLA Genetic Diversity and Linguistic Variation in East Asia by Alicia Sanchez-Mazas, et al.

Multidimensional Analysis (MDS) of Asian Populations Based on the HLADRB1 Allelic Polymorphism

AL: Altaic; AN (EF): Austronesian (Extra-Formosan); AN (TA): Austronesian (from Taiwan); AU: Austroasiatic; CK: Chukchi-Kamchatkan; EA: Eskimo-Aleut; GI: Gilyak; IEUY: Indo-European and Uralic-Yukaghir; KA: Tai-Kadai; SI: Sinitic; ST: Sino-Tibetan (here only Sinitic). Chinese (1): Northern Chinese; Chinese (2): Southern Chinese.

 

* Population Genetic Studies on Nine Aboriginal Ethnic Groups of Taiwan II. Serum Protein Systems by Isao Yuasa, et al.

NJ Trees for the Nine Aboriginal Groups of Taiwan and Eight Other Populations Based on Ds (A) and Dc (B) Distance Matrix

 

* A Study of the Genetic Relationships Among Aboriginal Populations in Taiwan ：Comparison of Pseudogene Sequences on Autosomal Chormorsome

UPGMA Tree

(P-Puyuma, Ta-Atayal, S-Saisiat, T-Tsou, R-Rukai, Pai-Paiwan, H-Taiwan Han, A-Amis, B-Bunun)

 

NJ Tree

 

* Genetic Diversity in the Class HLA-B Gene of the Nine Taiwan Aboriginal Tribes and Han Chinese as Revealed by High Resolution Sequence-Based HLA Typing Implication for the Origins and Dispersal of the Taiwan Aborigines by 賴朝陽

Abstract: The polygenic HLA (human leukocyte antigen) gene complex is the most polymorphic cluster of functional genes known. The high polymorphism of HLA genes makes these functional genes ideal genetic markers for studying inter-relationships among various human populations. Combing the results of HLA polymorphism with evidences from socio-cultural, archaeological and linguistic studies, we may understand better the origins and dispersal of human populations. In this study we have used sequence-based typing (SBT) to analyze the degree of polymorphism of class HLA-B gene in the nine Taiwan aboriginal tribes (Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiat, Tsou, and Yami) and Taiwan Han Chinese. The allele frequencies of each population are estimated by a maximum-likelihood method and used to calculate genetic distances between pairwise populations according to Nei s formula. Phylogenetic tree is then constructed from these genetic distances. The results show limited genetic diversity of Taiwan aborigines. The distributions of allele frequencies of Taiwan aborigines versus Han Chinese are different. All the Taiwan aboriginal tribes have a high percentage of B*1301, B*3901, B*4001, B*4002, B*4801, B*5502. Allele frequencies of HLA-B in Yami and Taiwn Han Chinese are different from those in the other populations. The total frequencies of these six alleles are more than 70 in all tribes except Yami, Puyuma and Taiwan Han Chinese. The results of allele frequencies and genetic distances also indicate that Yami and Taiwan Han Chinese are more different from the other populations. Phylogentic trees constructed from both class  HLA-A,-B and class  HLA-DPB1, -DRB1, -DRB3/4/5, show that 1 the Atayal and Saisiat, as well as Rukai and Bunun, probably are monophylic; 2 the Yami tribe seem to be very different from the other aboriginal tribes. In the future, when there are more genetic data from populations in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, South mainland China and Pacificregions, we may understand much more about the origins and dispersal of Taiwan aborigines in particular, and the Austronesians in general.

 

* A Homeland or Hostland? The power and challenges of genetic studies on Austronesian’s expansion by Mutsu Hsu and Shu-Juo Chen

Neighbor-joining Tree of Taiwan AN Populations, East Asians, Southeast Asians and Other Populations Worldwide (from Chu et al. 2001)

 

Neighbor-joining (NJ) Tree for the Nine Taiwan AN Populations and Other Asian and African Populations (from Tajima et al. 2003)

Ami showed difference with other eight populations (including Yami)

 

* Some Hypotheses on the Formation of East Asian Language Families by Laurent Sagart

Higer AN Phylogeny Based on Innovations among Numerals

 

 

HLA-A11

HLA-A11 (A11) is a human leukocyte antigen serotype within HLA-A "A" serotype group. This group currently is dominated by A*1101. A11 and A*11 are almost synonymous in meaning.

A11 is more common in East Asia than elsewhere, it is part of a several long haplotypes that appear to have been frequent in the ancient peoples of Asia.

In infectious Disease: Associations have been observed between A11 and familial otosclerosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, leprosy, and cytomegalovirus infection with epilepsy. These and other studies suggest an involvement between A11 and secondary effects of certain herpes virus infections. A11 was also found increase in supraglottic cancer with poor 3 year survival. In osteosarcoma A11 was found elevated.

There is a strong association between anti-depressant induced hepatitis and HLA-A11. In autoimmune hepatitis, A11 has a synergistic effect, acting together with DR4 and DR3 to increase the odds of disease to over 300.

A11 is also part of a haplotype A11-Cw4-B35-DR1-DQ1 that is a second factor in the rapid progression of HIV. The involvement of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma primaruily as a result of Epstein-Barr virus reinfection does not appear to be a cause in this acceleration.

Epstein-Barr Virus Anomaly: There are at least a couple of forms of lymphoproliferative diseases that appear to arise from unresolved Epstein-Barr virus infection. Examination of the virus itself has lead to the discovery of strains that can all but turn off the A11-mediated class I response to the virus in A11 enriched peoples (see tables below). This ability to turn off the immune system and for the virus to remain active is a factor in carcinogenesis. Early studies of A serotypes revealed and association of A11 with Hodgkin's lymphoma and recent studies have shown a complex involvement of Epstein-Barr virus infection as a consequence of low A11 control over infection.

Burkitt's lymphoma eventually lead to the discovery of the virus, however this disease is more evident in Africa. An involvement in cytotoxic T-lymphocytes down-regulation in Burkitt's lymphoma was subsequently discovered, More recent studies show A11 is down-regulated, and that other genetic defects are a likely cause. The ability to present EB virus antigens revealed a defect in the process after antigen process but before TAP1 involvement. Other studies indicated that peptides bind A11 in delivery to the cell surface for CTL screening, but fall off, and are destroyed intracellularly. However, A3 and A11 can process and load antigens even when proteosome activity is diminished suggesting an alternative mechanism for loading which may benefit in recovery from some disease but impair recovery of others.

It appears that these and other viruses have learned to exploit some defect in the region surrounding A11 that allows the near complete shut-down of gene expression. Oddly, in Africa A11 is at very low frequencies, and homozygotes are rare, suggesting that other genetic susceptibilities may exist that steer the virus toward Burkitt's lymphoma.

HLA A*1102 Frequencies

Population	Freq. (%)
Taiwan Saisiat	12.7
Taiwan Pazeh	10.9
Taiwan Ami	8.7
Taiwan Puyuma	7.0
Taiwan Siraya	6.9
China Guangxi Maonan	6.5
Taiwan Atayal	5.2
Philippines Ivatan	5.0
Ch. Guangdong Meizhou Han	4.6
Taiwan Hakka	4.5
Hong Kong Chinese	4.0
Taiwan Minnan (1)	3.9
Thailand	3.5
Singapore Chinese	3.0
Taiwan Tao	3.0
Taiwan Tsou	2.9
China Beijing Shijiazhuan…	2.0
Italy North pop 1	1.9
Taiwan Taroko	1.8
China Inner Mongolia	1.0
India West Coast Parsis	1.0
Taiwan Bunun	1.0
China Qinghai Hui	0.9
China Yunnan Lisu	0.6
Japan (3)	0.2

 

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* Signatures of Demographic History and Natural Selection in the Human Major Histocompatibility Complex Loci by Diogo Meyer, et al.

Excerpt: The Malay population has high heterozygosity relative to the aboriginal Taiwanese populations (Puyuma, Saisiat, Yami), which have low values and substantial variation among them. These aboriginal Taiwanese populations are a set of relatively isolated groups with little historical or ongoing admixture (Mack et al. 2006). The low heterozygosity is due to one or two high-frequency alleles at each locus that make up over half of the allele frequency spectrum for these populations (A*2402 in all three populations; B*3901 in the Saisiat and B*1525 and B*4002 in the Yami; and C*0801 and C*0304 in the Puyuma, C*0702 in the Saisiat, and C*0304 and C*0403 in the Yami). The A*2402 allele is also at high frequencies in the Yupik, accounting for their low heterozygosity.

 

 

HLA-B39

HLA-B39 (B39) is a split antigen of the broad antigen B16, and is a sister type of B38. B39 is most commonly found on the west Pacific Rim, in Japan and highest frequency in the New World. In Europe it is found in Scandinavia and Northern Russia.

B39 is suggested as a factor in Takayasu's arteritis and gallstones in Mexico. Osteoarticular complications of brucellosis appear to be associated with B39. An association with spondylarthropathies and psoriatic arthritis was observed in several studies. Psoriatic arthritis appears to be linked to MICA-A9 which tightly linked to HLA-B39. B39 also appears to be involved in the Fishers syndrome variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

 

HLA B*3901 Frequencies

Population	Freq (%)
Taiwan Saisiat	54.9
Taiwan Tsou	24.5
Taiwan Taroko	21.8
Taiwan Atayal	19.8
PNG Wanigela	16.7
Japan Ainu Hokkaido	16.0
Taiwan Bunun	14.9
Taiwan Thao	13.3
Taiwan Rukai	13.0
Taiwan Ami	10.2
Papua New Guinea Wosera	7.0
Papua New Guinea Madang	6.4
Taiwan Puyuma	5.0
Taiwan Paiwan	4.9
New Caledonia	4.8
Japan Central	4.4
American Samoa	4.0
Taiwan Hakka	3.6

 

 

Ainu People

Ainu (also called Ezo in historical texts) are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin. There are most likely over 150,000 Ainu today; however the exact figure is not known as many Ainu hide their origin due to racial issues in Japan. In many cases, surviving Ainu may not be even aware of their ancestry, as their parents and grandparents kept their descent private in order to protect their children from social problems.

Origins: The origins of the Ainu have not been fully determined. They have often been considered Jōmon-jin, natives to Japan from the Jōmon period. "The Ainu lived in this place a hundred thousand years before the Children of the Sun came" is told in one of their Yukar Upopo (Ainu legends).

Ainu culture dates from around 1200 AD and recent research suggests that it originated in a merger of the Okhotsk and Satsumon cultures. Their economy was based on farming as well as hunting, fishing and gathering.

Full-blooded Ainu are mostly fair-skinned, with the men generally having dense hair development. Many early investigators proposed a Caucasian ancestry, although recent DNA tests have not shown signs of Caucasian ancestry.

Genetic testing of the Ainu people has shown them to belong mainly to Y-haplogroup D. The only places outside of Japan in which Y-haplogroup D is common are Tibet and the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean. In a study by Tajima et al. (2004), two out of a sample of sixteen (or 12.5%) Ainu men were found to belong to Haplogroup C3, which is the most common Y-chromosome haplogroup among the indigenous populations of the Russian Far East and Mongolia; Hammer et al. (2006) tested another sample of four Ainu men and found that one of them belonged to haplogroup C3. Some researchers have speculated that this minority of Haplogroup C3 carriers among the Ainu may reflect a certain degree of unidirectional genetic influence from the Nivkhs, a traditionally nomadic people of northern Sakhalin Island and the adjacent mainland, with whom the Ainu have long-standing cultural interactions. According to Tanaka et al. (2004), their mtDNA lineages mainly consist of haplogroup Y (21.6%) and haplogroup M7a (15.7%). Mitochondrial DNA haplogroup Y is otherwise found mainly among Nivkhs, as well as at lower frequency among Koreans, Mongols, Tungusic peoples, Koryaks, Itelmens, and Austronesians; haplogroup M7a, on the other hand, is found elsewhere almost exclusively among Japanese, Ryukyuans, Koreans, and Waars of the Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, India. A recent reevaluation of cranial traits suggests that the Ainu resemble the Okhotsk more than they do the Jōmon. This agrees with the reference to the Ainu culture being a merger of Okhotsk and Satsumon cultures referenced above.

Haplogroup Y is a descendant of haplogroup N9.

Haplogroup Y was found in South Siberian populations with a frequency of 1%. However, this haplogroup was found with high frequency among the Ainu and the Nivkhi.

Haplogroup Y- found especially among Nivkhs and Ainus, with a moderate frequency among Koreans, Mongols, Tungusic peoples, Koryaks, Itelmens, Chinese, Japanese, Tajiks, Island Southeast Asians (including Taiwanese aborigines), and some Turkic peoples.

Some have speculated that the Ainu may be descendants of a prehistoric group of humans that also produced indigenous Australian peoples. In Steve Olson's book Mapping Human History, page 133, he describes the discovery of fossils dating back 10,000 years, representing the remains of the Jōmon, a group whose facial features more closely resemble those of the indigenous peoples of New Guinea and Australia. After a new wave of immigration, probably from the Korean Peninsula some 2,300 years ago, of the Yayoi people, the Jōmon were pushed into northern Japan. Genetic data suggest that modern Japanese are descended from both the Yayoi and the Jōmon.

Groundbreaking genetic mapping studies by Cavalli-Sforza have shown a sharp gradient in gene frequencies centered in the area around the Sea of Japan, and particularly in the Japanese Archipelago, that distinguishes these populations from others in the rest of eastern Asia and most of the American continent. This gradient appears as the third most important genetic movement (in other words, the third principal component of genetic variation) in Eurasia (after the "Great expansion" from the African continent, which has a cline centered in Arabia and adjacent parts of the Middle East, and a second cline that distinguishes the northern regions of Eurasia and particularly Siberia from regions to the south), which would make it consistent with the early Jōmon period, or possibly even the pre-Jōmon period.

 

 

HLA-Cw7

HLA-Cw7 (Cw7) is a human leukocyte antigen serotype within HLA-C serotype group. The serotype is determined by the antibody recognition of α7 subset of HLA-Cw α-chains. For Cw7, the alpha chain are encoded by the HLA-Cw*07 allele group and the β-chain are encoded by B2M locus. Cw7 and Cw*07 are almost synonymous in meaning.

Cw7 is more common in West Africa to Ireland. Cw7 in Europe is part of the AH8.1 and HLA B7-DR15-DQ6 haplotypes. The class I region of these supertype is HLA A1-B8 haplotype, HLA A3-B7, HLA-A2-B7 and HLA A24-B7. (For terminology help see: HLA-serotype tutorial)

 

HLA Cw*0702 Frequencies

Population	Freq. (%)
PNG New Britain Rabaul	57.1
China Yunnan Lisu	32.9
Taiwan Taroko	31.8
China Yunnan Nu	30.7
PNG Madang	30.2
Taiwan Tsou	27.5
Russia Arkhangelsk Pomors	26.0
Ch. Guangdong Meizhou H…	25.8
Pakistan Burusho	25.5
Russia Nenets	23.8
China South Han	20.8
China Guangzhou	19.9
Ireland Northern	18.6
Swiss Geneva	18.2
Taiwan Bunun	17.8
Ireland South	17.4
Singapore Javanese Indone…	17.0
Philippines Ivatan	16.0
Taiwan Rukai	16.0
Australia New South Wales	15.8
Finland	15.6
Pakistan Sindhi	15.5
Saudi Arabia Guraiat and …	15.2
India Tamil Nadu Nadar	14.8
Japan Central	14.6
Russia Murmansk Saomi	14.0
China Beijing	13.6
China Tibetan	13.3
China Qinghai Hui	13.2
Thailand	13.0
China Inner Mongolia	12.7
Pakistan Brahui	12.5
PNG Wanigela	12.5
Czech Republic	12.3
China North Han	11.9
Taiwan Paiwan	11.8
China Wuhan	11.6
Taiwan Siraya	10.8
Taiwan Ami	10.7
New Caledonia	10.0
India North Delhi	9.9
Australia Indig. Cape Yor…	9.6
Pakistan Pathan	9.5
France West	9.4
Iran Baloch	9.4
German Essen	9.1
Taiwan Puyuma	9.0
India New Delhi	8.9
Pakistan Kalash	8.7
India Mumbai Marathas	8.6
Russia Tuva pop 2	8.6
South Korea (3)	8.3
American Samoa	8.0
France South East	7.2
India West Bhils	7.0
Australia Indig. Yuendumu	6.8
Georgia Tibilisi Georgian…	6.5
Turkey	6.0
Spain Eastern Andalusia	5.5
PNG Wosera	5.4
Pakistan Baloch	4.5
Lebanon	4.1
Israel Arab Druse	4.0
Tunisia	3.6
PNG Eastern Highlands Gor…	3.5
Georgia Tibilisi Kurds	3.4
Morocco 'Berber' Nador Me…	3.2
England London Ashkenazi …	2.9

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Pastaai

Pastaai (Pas-ta'ai) ceremonies in Nanzhuang, Miaoli, Taiwan

 

 

* Saisiyat Tribe by Taiwan Indigeneous Culture Park

Excerpt: Saisiyat mingles among Atayal and Hakka. Hence, most of the Saisiyat speak both Atayal dialect and Hakka as the daily common languages. One can not help thinking of Saisiyat’s mysterious legend—the festival of Pas-taai, known as “festival of the short people.”

Allegedly, the Saisiyat and the Taai lived close by each other. The Taiai passed on the knowledge of agriculture, medicine, worship, and folklore to the Saisiyat. The Saisiyat treated the Taai as guests of honor who were invited to join their festivals for wine and fun. Yet the Taai were accused of molesting the Saisiyat women. After years of resistance, the Saisiyat decided to kill off many Taai. The remnants of the Taai cursed the Saisiyat to suffer from annual catastrophe and famine, which came true later. Accordingly, the Saisiyat have been holding the Festival of Pas-taai in the forms of songs and dances, which the Saisiyat pray that the Taai will not bring harm to the Saisiyat. The commemorative festival of the short people has been performed until now in the midst of complex between the Saisiyat and the Taai. Moreover, there are many taboos relevant to the festival of the short people in the daily life to be followed. It also indicates how much respect the Saisiyat hold for the Taai.

 

Pas-ta'ai is a ritual of the Saisiyat people.

* The Song Remains the Same. The Saisiyat Will Soon Commemorate Their Passing, Vice President Annette Lu Believes in Them and There Is Scientific Evidence Supporting Their Existence: A Lost Race of Short People that May Have Once Roamed Taiwan by Jules Quartly

Excerpt: Once upon a time a black, hobbit-sized people inhabited Taiwan, fishing by the sea and living in the hills. They prospered for millennia but dwindled as waves of Austronesian-speakers and then Chinese immigrants populated the island.

According to Saisiyat (賽夏族) legend, a tribe member killed off the last of what they call the "short people," or ta-ay (達矮), by cutting down a bridge over which they were traversing. The remnants of the short people had been accused of molesting a Saisiyat princess. Before the race died out, however, the short people passed on their knowledge of agriculture, medicine, fire lighting, rice wine making and folklore to the Saisiyat. Much of this knowledge was handed on in the form of songs and dances, which the Saisiyat believe they must perform, or they themselves will die out. Comprised of about 5,000 members, the Saisiyat is one of Taiwan's smallest Aboriginal tribes.

In recent times the commemorative "festival of the short people" (矮靈祭) has been performed every two years. Every decade there is a special festival and it falls this year on Dec. 2. It will be held over three days and nights in Wufeng (五峰), Hsinchu County.

 

* Appeasing the Spirits by Davis Pruett

Excerpt: The legends which explain the festival relate a tragedy, based upon the fate of a group of people that existed before the arrival of the Saisiat, the "Short People." No more than three feet tall, they possessed precious secrets of agriculture and witchcraft which they willingly shared. The Saisiat studied their ways as best they could; but as a hunting tribe, much wisdom escaped their apprehension. Nevertheless, both tribes prospered and the people were happy, amiably sharing the fruits of their labors. Yet as is always the case, fate changed the mood--strife arose from nowhere, attributable to no one.

The story told by the Saisiat elders is that the ritual appeases and corrects a great injustice, precipitated by a tragic incident involving a man of the Short People and a Saisiat woman. Either married or a maiden, the woman was raped or assaulted. The details are unclear, and anyway unimportant--the elders go so far as to even suggest that it was something that would have been trivial, had it not precipitated such a great tragedy. They say that the Short People and the Saisiat were happy together, and shared their bounty pleasantly; but amidst the labors of one harvest, as the ceremonials were being prepared, the brother (or some say husband) of the offended woman--a young man--quietly sneaked out to the sacred grounds to avenge the perceived wrong. There, he chopped halfway through the trunk of the Great Tree to which the Short People would retreat at the ritual's close. He deviously covered his work with mud, and returned to the village where he rejoined his people, acting as if nothing were out of place. The ceremonies proceeded, winding down to their conclusion, and the Short People clambered into the ceremonial tree where they fell asleep--and then the tree toppled, killing almost all of them.

The tale's conclusion is predictable: the Saisiat began to experience terrible tragedies for their genocide, for which they repented, and sought out the last of the Short People--two old women, who taught them the ceremonies they perform today to placate the angry spirits and amend the injustice of their ancestors. The elders today suggest the young man's revenge overstepped propriety, and memorialize this golden era with tears as they sing the ritual's farewell.

* Pas-taai－賽夏族矮靈祭 by 王齡瑤

* 一場古老傳說的追索冒險---尋找矮黑人系列（一） by 徐仁修

 

賽夏族 : 巴斯達隘傳說 = Legends of the Little People and Other Stories from the Saisiat by 潘秋榮

 

 

 

 

 

* The GM Genetic Polymorphism in Taiwan Aborigines: New data revealing remarkable differentiation patterns
by Alicia Sanchez-Mazas, et al.

Multidimensional Scaling Analysis among 63 Populations from Southeast Asia
Excluding all Sino-Tibetans but the Southern Chinese (grouped)

Minnan (Taiwan) clusters with Aetas, Nanchang (Jiangzi) and mixed (*)

The ‘mixed’ sample is composed of individuals from Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Hunan. ST-SC: Sino-Tibetan, Southern Chinese (Min, Xiang, Gan, Hakka, Yue); AA: Austroasiatic; KA: Tai-Kadai; AN-EF: Extra-Formosan Austronesian; AN-TW: Autronesian from Taiwan; HM: Hmong-Mien.

 

Aeta

(Image from The Peopling of the Philippines by Robert Lindsay)

The Aeta (pronounced as “eye-ta,”), Agta or Ayta are an indigenous people who live in scattered, isolated mountainous parts of Luzon, Philippines. They are considered to be Negritos, who are dark to very dark brown skinned and tend to have features such as a small stature, small frame, curly hair, small nose, and dark brown eyes. They are thought to be among the earliest inhabitants of the Philippines, preceding the Austronesian migrations.

The history of the Aeta continues to confound anthropologists and archaeologists. One theory suggests that the Aeta are the descendants of the original inhabitants of the Philippines, who, contrary to their sea-faring Austronesian neighbors, arrived through land bridges that linked the country with the Asian mainland about 30,000 years ago.

The life expectancy at birth of the Aeta is just 16.5 years, with only a third of children surviving to adulthood at 15 years – at which point life expectancy is still only 27.3 years. Young women reach full adult height (average 140 cm) at age 12 or 13.

 

NEGRITO

The term Negrito refers to several ethnic groups in isolated parts of Southeast Asia. Their current populations include the Aeta, Agta, Ayta, Ati, Dumagat and at least 25 other tribes of the Philippines, the Semang of the Malay peninsula, the Mani of Thailand and 12 Andamanese tribes of the Andaman Islands of the Indian Ocean.

Negritos share some common physical features with African pygmy populations, including short stature, natural afro-hair texture, and dark skin; however, their origin and the route of their migration to Asia is still a matter of great speculation. They are genetically distant from Africans at most loci studied thus far (except for MCR1, which codes for dark skin). They have also been shown to have separated early from Asians, suggesting that they are either surviving descendants of settlers from an early migration out of Africa, or that they are descendants of one of the founder populations of modern humans

Etymology: The term "Negrito" is the Spanish diminutive of Negro, i.e. "little black person", referring to their small stature, and was coined by early European explorers who assumed that the Negritos were recent arrivals from Africa. Occasionally, some Negrito are referred to as pygmies, bundling them with peoples of similar physical stature in Central Africa, and likewise, the term Negrito was previously occasionally used to refer to African Pygmies.

Sometimes the term "Negroid" will be used when referring to these groups, especially to their superficial physical features, such as their hair texture and skin color.

According to James J.Y. Liu, a professor of comparative literature, the Chinese term Kun-lun (崑崙) means Negrito

Origins: Being among the least-known of all living human groups, the origins of the Negrito people is a much debated topic. The Malay term for them is orang asli, or original people. They are likely descendants of the indigenous populations of the Sunda landmass and New Guinea, predating the Mongoloid peoples who later entered Southeast Asia. Alternatively, some scientists claim they are merely a group of Australo-Melanesians who have undergone island dwarfing over thousands of years, reducing their food intake in order to cope with limited resources and adapt to a tropical rainforest environment. Anthropologist Jared Diamond in his bestselling book, Guns, Germs, and Steel suggests that the Negritos are possible ancestors of the Aboriginal Australians and Papuans of New Guinea.

A number of features would seem to suggest a common origin for the Negritos and African pygmies, especially in the Andamanese Islanders who have been isolated from incoming waves of Asiatic and Indo-Aryan peoples. (No other living human population has experienced such long-lasting isolation from contact with other groups.) These features include short stature, very dark skin, woolly hair, scant body hair and occasional steatopygia (a high degree of fat accumulation in and around the buttocks). The claim that Andamanese pygmoids more closely resemble Africans than Asians in their cranial morphology in a 1973 study added some weight to this theory before genetic studies pointed to a closer relationship with Asians. Other more recent studies have shown closer craniometric affinities to Egyptians and Europeans than to Sub Saharan populations such as that of African Pygmies. Walter Neves' study of the Lagoa Santa people had the incidental correlation of showing Andamanese as classifying closer to Egyptians and Europeans than any Sub Saharan population. Multiple studies also show that Negritos from Southeast Asia to New Guinea share a closer cranial affinity with Australo-Melanesians (Australoid). Further evidence for Asian ancestry is in craniometric markers such as sundadonty, shared by Asian and Negrito populations.

It has been suggested that the craniometric similarities to Asians could merely indicate a level of interbreeding between Negritos and later waves of people arriving from the Asian mainland. This hypothesis is not supported by genetic evidence that has shown the level of isolation populations such as the Andamanese have had. Some studies have suggested that each group should be considered separately however as the genetic evidence refutes the notion of a specific shared ancestry between the "Negrito" groups of the Andaman Islands, Malay Peninsula, and Philippines.

While earlier studies such as that of WW Howell allied Andamanese craniometrically with Africans they did not have recourse to genetic studies. Later genetic and craniometric (mentioned earlier) studies have found more genetic affinities with Asians and Polynesians. A study on blood groups and proteins in the 1950s suggested that the Andamanese were more closely related to Oceanic peoples than Africans. Genetic studies on Philippine Negritos, based on polymorphic blood enzymes and antigens, showed they were similar to surrounding Asian populations.

Genetic testing places all the Onge and all but two of the Great Andamanese in the mtDNA Haplogroup M, found in East Africa, East Asia, and South Asia, suggesting that the Negritos are at least partly descended from a migration originating in eastern Africa as much as 60,000 years ago. This migration is hypothesized to have followed a coastal route through India and into Southeast Asia, which is sometimes referred to as the Great Coastal Migration. Analysis of mtDNA coding sites indicated that these Andamanese fall into a subgroup of M not previously identified in human populations in Africa and Asia. These findings suggest an early split from the population of African migrants whose descendants would eventually populate the entire habitable world. In this sense, Negritos may provide a hint as to the appearance of early modern humans.

Haplogroup M is found in high frequencies along the southern coastal regions of Pakistan and India and it has the greatest diversity in India, indicating that it is here where the mutation may have occurred. 60% of the Indian population belong to Haplogroup M. The indigenous people of the Andaman Islands also belong to the M lineage. The Andamanese are thought to be offshoots of some of the earliest inhabitants in Asia because of their long isolation from mainland Asia. They are evidence of the coastal route of early settlers that extends from India along the coasts of Thailand and Indonesia all the way to Papua New Guinea. Since M is found in high frequencies in highlanders from New Guinea as well, and both the Andamanese and New Guineans have dark skin and Afro-textured hair, some scientists believe they are all part of the same wave of migrants who departed across the Red Sea ~60,000 years ago. Notably, the findings of Harding et. al. (2000, p 1355) show that, at least with regard to dark skin color, the haplotype background of Papua New Guineans at MC1R (one of a number of genes involved in melanin production) is identical to that of Africans (barring a single silent mutation). Thus, although these groups are distinct from Africans at other loci (due to drift, bottlenecks, etc), it is evident that selection for the dark skin color trait likely continued (at least at MC1R) following the exodus. This would support the hypothesis that suggests that the original migrants from Africa resembled pre-exodus Africans (at least in skin color), and that the present day remnants of this ancient phenotype can be seen among contemporary Africans, Andamanese and New Guineans. Others suggest that their physical resemblance to Africans could be the result of convergent evolution.

From Saudi Arabia to India the proportion of haplogroup M increases eastwards: in eastern India, M outnumbers N by a ratio of 3:1. However, crossing over into East Asia, Haplogroup N reappears as the dominant lineage. M is predominant in South East Asia but amongst Indigenous Australians N reemerges as the more common lineage. This discontinuous distribution of Haplogroup N from Europe to Australia has confounded scientists attempting to trace migratory routes. However, it is well known that such distributions can be explained by way of founder's effect and its accompanying bottlenecking, which result in irregular distributions in genetic patterning due to what amounts to random sampling from a relatively small initial population (i.e. those who migrated out of Africa).

* Genetic Affinities of the Andaman Islanders, a Vanishing Human Population by Kumarasamy Thangaraj, et al.

* The Peopling of the Philippines by Robert Lindsay

 

* Ancient Mitochondrial DNA from Malaysian Hair Samples: Some Indications of Southeast Asian Population Movements by F. X. Ricaut, et al.

Abstract: The late Pleistocene and early Holocene population history of Southeast Asia is not well-known. Our study provides new data on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages of the aboriginal inhabitants of the Malay Peninsula, and through an extensive comparison to the known mtDNA diversity in Southeast and East Asia, provides some new insights into the origins and historical geography of certain mtDNA lineages in the region. We extracted DNA from hair samples (dating back 100 years) preserved in the Duckworth Collection and belonging to two Peninsular Malaysian individuals identified as "Negrito." Ancient DNA was analyzed by sequencing hypervariable region I (HVS-I) of the mtDNA control region and the mtDNA region V length polymorphism. The results show that the maternal lineages of these individuals belong to a recently defined haplogroup B sub-branch called B4c2. A comparison of mitochondrial haplotypes and haplogroups with those of 10,349 East Asian individuals indicates their very restricted geographical distribution (southwestern China, Southeast Asia Peninsula, and Indonesia). Recalculation of the B4c2 age across all of East Asia ( approximately 13,000 years) and in different subregions/populations suggests its rapid diffusion in Southeast Asia between the end of the Last Glacial Maximum and the Neolithic expansion of the Holocene.

 

* Immunoglobulin Allotypes Among Taiwan Aborigines: Evidence of Malarial Selection Could Affect Studies of Population Affinity by S. Moses Schanfield, et al.

Abstract: The aborigines of Taiwan represent the indigenous inhabitants of the island at the time of the arrival of the Chinese from the mainland. Linguistically, the aboriginal Taiwanese are related to the Malayo-Polynesian speaking inhabitants of Indonesia and the Philippines. Three tribes occupied lowland areas while six tribes occupied highland areas. Previous studies indicate that genetic markers associated with malaria occur in lowland populations. Though the GM haplotypes are demonstrated to be very useful in the measure of population affinities, the possibility of malarial selection on this locus could affect studies of population affinity. The present work is a case study to see whether a subdivided insular population under a possible selective load will provide divergent clustering analysis depending on the population sampled. Immunoglobulin allotype (GM and KM) profiles were generated on 230 lowland and 407 highland Taiwan Aborigines from the nine tribes. A highly significant difference in GM haplotype distribution was detected between lowland and highland populations (adjusted G = 69.408, 2 df [degrees of freedom], p < 0.00001). There were no significant differences in KM*1 frequency by altitude. The Taiwan Aboriginal GM and KM frequencies were compared to data from Indonesians, Vietnamese, Thai, Malay, Chinese from Taiwan, and Ryukyu Islanders from Okinawa using cluster analysis. The lowland populations plot among the Thai (N, NC) and Malayan Aborigines. In contrast, the highland and total Taiwan Aborigine samples plot with the Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Malayan Negrito samples. Thus, depending on the populations of Taiwan Aborigines used, different conclusions could be reached. The highland population supports the published linguistic ties; however, the lowland population does not support the linguistic relationship with Indonesian populations but is more closely related to Thai and Malays, or reflects a similar selection history.

 

The Semang are a Negrito ethnic group of the Malay Peninsula. Lowland Semang tribes are also known as Sakai. They are probably the indigenous peoples of this area, and have been recorded to have lived here since before the 200s. They are ethnologically described as nomadic hunter-gatherers.

They are thought to be related to other Negritos, such as the natives of the Andaman Islands, and the Aetas of the Philippines. Their languages, however, are Aslian, in the Mon-Khmer family.

The men average about 153.6cm (5ft 1/2in), while the women are 142.7cm (4ft 8in). Their color is a very dark brown or black. The shape of the head is round, or intermediate between round and long. The forehead is low and rounded, and projects over the root of the nose, which is short, depressed and pyramid-shaped. The eyes are often wide open and round, even at times showing no obliquity, the iris being of a very rich, deep brown. Lips vary from moderate to full, the mouth is rather large, and the jaws are often slightly projecting.

The hair is very dark-brown black, never blue-black as among Chinese and Malays. It grows in short, spiral tufts, curling closely all over the head.

The Semangs live in caves or leaf-shelters formed between branches. A waistcloth for the men, made of tree bark hammered out with a wooden mallet from the bark of the terap, a species of wild bread-fruit tree, and a short petticoat of the same for the women, is the only dress worn; many go naked.

Tattooing, or rather scarring, is practised, by drawing the finely serrated edge of a sugarcane leaf across the skin and rubbing in charcoal powder.

They have bamboo musical instruments, a kind of Jew's harp and a nose flute. On festive occasions there is song and dance, both sexes decorating themselves with leaves. The Semangs bury their dead simply, food and drink being placed in the grave.

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________

賽夏族

賽夏族（Saisiat、Saisiyat）為台灣原住民，當時尚無文字，都由長輩口傳，賽夏起源傳說依居住的地域的不同而有不同的說法：

1.東北部的賽夏族口傳傳說： 洪水發生時，僅存於大霸尖山(papak-waka，或oppeh-naboon)之夫妻為始祖，其子孫到大湖、苗栗後再向南庄，到目前居住之地。

2.中部的賽夏族口傳傳說： 與東北部一樣是從大霸尖山的洪水傳說開始，他們南下到達tamari或tamei(據說是阿里山附近)，再沿著海邊到達竹南、後龍一帶居住，按著再往山裡走，竹北、北埔部曾經居住過，目前分佈於台灣北部中央山脈西側新竹縣五峰鄉五指山區與苗栗縣獅潭、南庄大東溪一帶，夾雜於泰雅族和客家人之間，深受漢人和泰雅族習俗影響。

3.西南部的賽夏族口傳傳說： 洪水傳說的地點為附近的加裡山(rainainura或pencon)後移至沿海的後龍附近，居住甚久以後逐漸往山腳地帶移住。

賽夏族人居住的海拔高度約五百公尺至一千五百公尺間，人口約五千餘人，是台灣山區各族中人口最少，分佈範圍最狹窄的一族，以矮靈祭聞名。

 

概要

傳說賽夏族的祖先發源於大霸尖山，洪水時期南下到達阿里山附近，沿著海邊到達後來的居住地。賽夏族對外自稱「Saisiat」古稱獅設族，分南北二群：北賽夏自稱（Sai-kirapa）又稱大隘群，分佈於鵝公髻山麓一帶；南賽夏自稱（Sai-waro）又稱東河群，分佈於鵝公髻山麓附近。

賽夏族的語言分南北二方言群，據語言學家推測是較古老的南島語言，可能出現在台灣的時間較早。為了適應當地社會環境，賽夏人大部份會講國語、甚至以此種語言為日常用語，自我族群的語言反而日漸淡忘，但因政府意識到各族群語言之重要性，開始推動〝族語認證〞！才逐漸復原本賽夏語的使用人數。

賽夏族早期也是事游耕、山地燒墾及山區狩獵。後來受到周圍強勢民族的壓迫，土地利用範圍逐漸狹窄，而轉變為定耕農業和林業的型態。面對強勢的外在文化，老一輩的賽夏人對於傳統祭典就更加珍惜，排除了許多外力使賽夏族的祭典完整地保留下來，是台灣少數能保有祭典原味的族群。賽夏族屬於父系社會，以地域和圖騰氏族為社會組織的基本構成單位。三五同姓（同圖騰）家族聚居為一聚落。聚落又聯合成一個村落，村落中同姓家族則組成各姓之氏族祭團，是各姓耕地漁區的互助單位。在聯合成一個部落聯盟，也就是現在所稱的南賽夏或北賽夏。

衣飾以麻布自己紡織為主，背心由兩張麻布二折而縫成，前後夾織花紋（在織的過程中，夾入不同色彩的織線，構成幾何形花紋）頭上有黑頭巾，上衣為長達膝部的對襟上衣，由兩幅麻布對折背部縫合，前面對開。腰裙男性為丁字帶，女性則以深色棉布製成的綁腿布，通常會在下緣綴以小鈴。其他還有臂、腿、腕、頭飾、腰飾等。　 　

賽夏族的住家多位在山腹坡地或小台地上，因為居住在樹木和竹林盛產地，因此建築材料多為竹、木為主樹藤為輔。

 

手工藝

賽夏族的傳統手工技術以紡織與編籃的工藝在各族中最具特色。

 

紡織

紡織材料大多是由婦女自行種植的苎麻，曬乾作為麻線，以織布機織成服飾。也會使用狩獵後經揉制處理的皮革。近代漸為棉布所取代，通常和漢人購買棉布製作。

編織工具為水平背帶織布機，主要用具有：

• 經卷：不織布時收藏其他工具和未完成的布料（三角形長筒狀，為整塊木頭中間挖空）。
• 布夾：使用時放在腹部上，和背帶綁在一起（兩塊長方形木條組合而成，扣合面有凹凸的榫接點，用來夾緊經線或織好的布）。
• 打棒：每穿入一條線便以打棒打緊使布更緊密（狀似刀兩端尖中間寬，用密度較高的木材製作）。
• 隔棒：用來區分線的奇、偶線。
• 固定棒：固定棒置於經卷後方，主要將經線固定。
• 綜絖棒：綜絖棒則配合所織花紋，使用不同數量以分出梭路。
• 桃花棒：主要是織花時挑起經線使用。（把竹子一端削尖而成）
• 梭子：兩端都有凹口，讓緯線繞在梭子上面，穿梭入經線內（扁長的棒狀物，竹或木製作）。
• 背帶：將布夾綁繫固定於腹部（粗麻線編成的長帶子）。

紡織的過程步驟如下：種麻→抽麻線→紡線→框線→漂白→染色→打蠟→整經→織布。

紡織技巧

1. Hinippalatan：最簡單的平織法，織出規則性十字形交叉的無紋飾布。
2. Hinihalos：無夾織花紋，以不同的挑線法穿梭經緯線製出有菱形浮紋的布。
3. Hinihoan：艷麗紋飾的布料，主要用來製成祭典穿的服飾。紋飾的織法利用提經挑花夾織的方式，以及賽夏族廣泛使用的浮織或雙層織法，搭配組合織出各種華美的紋樣。

傳統織紋圖案常見的有菱形紋、卍字紋、○Ⅹ紋、線條紋等。主要由紅、黑、白三色交錯變化而成。以圖案元素來說，和泰雅族的織布非常類似（菱形紋、線條紋）。賽夏族人多將織紋圖案視為是代表個人及家族傳承的智慧與殊榮；每家有其熟練的圖紋織造技術。

編噐

常見的編器有米籩、米篩、種子籃、背籃、提籃、線籃、便當、食籃、置物盒、籐帽、甚至放置祖靈象徵物的神聖小籐籃等。賽夏族傳統編噐有特殊形式和技法，例如背籃為雙肩帶式的背籃，不像泰雅族或平埔族是額帶式背籃，傳統的背籃形式是喇叭型，上為呈圓椎狀、下為圖柱狀，多以斜紋法編成細密無孔。現在生活中普遍使用的主要以六角形編法製的透孔背籃（Takil），用來裝置各種雜物等。

編器主要使用桂竹作為材料，是使用最多的材料；另一種野生的小綠竹用來編製較細緻器物（如穀物背籃）。此外也會使用黃籐來製作精緻器物，如籐帽等。

編器的編法分為方格編法、透孔六角編法、斜紋編法、絞織編法、合縫螺旋編法、相交螺旋編法等。編器修緣則分為加蔑紮編法、夾條紮縫法，以及8形修邊法。

 

文化

舞蹈

賽夏族人的社會中所見的舞蹈主要項目僅有矮靈祭。矮靈祭呈現了矮人與族人相處的情形（如矮人拉著懶惰的賽夏人去看豐收的田地，以快舞步的方式呈現），到哀泣之處，舞步緩緩前進，快速的旋轉與定點跳躍呈現了族人驅趕矮靈的心裡反映。會使用「臀鈴」（tapangaSan）作為舞蹈道具。

音樂

賽夏族除了一般所唱的歌之外，矮靈祭的祭歌最為重要。一般的歌流傳不多。矮靈祭的歌，由於每二年一次祭典中，由集體一起歌唱，且祭歌需要很長的時間吟唱，所以在族人中廣受流傳。除迎神歌之外其餘都伴有舞蹈。而祭歌歌詞內容非常具文學價值。

賽夏族兩年一度的矮靈祭，對賽夏的音樂文化十分重要。矮靈祭有一套完整的祭歌，以十五曲祭祀為中心，曲譜有十六種，歌詞四十八章，每章若干節，矮靈祭歌唱法並不像其他族群或現代歌謠的唱法，而是重覆著幾段音節。要將全部的祭歌唱完、跳完，必得通宵達旦，幾天幾夜才會結束。和鄰近的泰雅族互相影響，使用的音階la、sol、mi、re四音階頗為相近。

矮靈祭歌的練唱只准許在祭期前一個月左右，練唱其間以部落為單位，且在夜間實施，平常不可練唱，所以都在祭前由專人以密集練習形式教唱。

賽夏族的祭歌悠揚而非節奏化（拍節化）。祭歌的質量相當相當豐富，曲調也彼此異趣，以第一首第一節為例，共有五句，唱法卻是 ^1^^2^1^2，^2^3^3，^3^4^4，^4^5^5。以不規則的方式反覆唱法，是非常特殊的表現方式。 並且有相當的歷史。

矮靈祭歌詞包括《招請歌》、《出草歌》、《行樂矮人故地》、《雷女之歌》、《送神之歌》等，祭歌幽雅悲涼顯露出對矮靈的那份恩怨交錯及原始部落巫術的神秘氣氛。以歌曲而言，追述了矮人的教誨與祈求農作物的豐收。

樂器方面主要使用膜笛、杵、竹筒、臀鈴。臀鈴（tapangaSan）又稱背響，是賽夏族特有的樂器，主要由竹管與薏仁的果實穿綴而成，目前有些臀鈴用銅管代替竹管。

祭典

賽夏族人對於祭典的分工非常清楚。如祈雨祭由潘姓主持。祈睛祭由夏與蟹姓主持。鎮風祭由風姓長老主持。敵首祭由豆姓長老主持。這些規範，來自族裡的神話傳說與歷史經驗。

出生禮

以前的賽夏族人在生子三日後，必須派人通知母家，因處於強大漢族與泰雅族之間，故極望多產而重男輕女。生女（Mingsarapaang，意為塵土般的），生男（Imapah ks aha buhiol，指多一張弓）帶箭鏃、糕餅至母家門口通報，母家則由一青年持鏃與餅與通報者互換。

成年禮

15歲時要打斷兩顆牙齒，表示長大成人。成年儀禮與祭軍神一併舉行。祭軍神常用敵首，參加祭儀的青年，要飲祭敵首的酒，用以取得成年資格，但現在已無此儀禮。

婚禮

男子二十至三十歲，女子十七、八歲至二十歲為適婚年齡，原則上男女年齡相彷或男長於女數歲，男方便可請氏族長輩至女家求婚。女家如表同意，便會和求婚者互換烟斗完成許婚儀式。成婚前需先訂婚，訂婚後二、三年擇期結婚。

喪禮

賽夏族人認為衰老疾病死者為善終，死在床上、橫死與戰死者都算惡死。橫死者就地掩埋並舉行火祭，並且在掩埋的地方放置石堆表示禁忌。衰老疾病的族人在彌留時，家人將他移至地面後淨身，等親人斷氣後幫死者盛裝打扮，接著將死者扶起並把兩腿曲於胸前，以布包裹。

女子把剛煮好的飯放幾粒在死者口中當作辭食，男子去野外找合適的埋葬地點，掘三、四尺左右寬的洞穴，將屍體抬至墓旁後，由最近親屬背向墓穴，以左腳蹴屍入穴（如屍體入穴面東為吉，面上或向西為兇）。接著以包裹屍體的布覆蓋，然後在屍上灑鹽巴並把茅草和泥土分次覆蓋在墓穴上，最後用短竿插於墓穴四周，以石塊圍砌便完成埋葬。

埋葬時同一氏族的人必須參加，死者生前的遺物除武器外一律陪葬。葬第三天，家人蒸糯米飯、殺雞到墓旁祭亡魂，然後家人全體食分，隔天一起把打獵回來的獵物吃掉，即解除喪服。

播種祭（Pitaza）

定期在四月舉行，由主祭一人在某一天的午夜十二點過後，獨自在預先選好的一塊地上插上一根兒茅（茅草的一種），按著閉上眼睛，將小米種籽灑向田地，儀式就算結束。主要是祈求今年的農作豐收。目前只有向天湖還保有此祭儀。

祖靈祭（Pas-vake）

主要是祭祀去世的列祖列宗。舉行的時間不一定，由二位長老主持，將插有豬肉、黏糕的供品及酒攜至屋後空地行祭。祭品分為二份，向東的給善靈，向西的給凶死的靈。祖靈祭的另一個目的是家族成員的認定，透過儀式成為家族的一份子。

祈天祭

祈天祭為賽夏族與自然對話的祭儀，一年一小祭，隔年一大祭，祭拜神祗為天帝、天后，目的為祈雨、祈晴，或為鎮風、驅疫。主祭為潘姓宗族擔任，祭場坐落著竹編的靈屋、祭屋。第一天南北各姓氏代表聚集於山下河畔集會，次日宰殺豬只作為祭品，最後一天開始祭神儀式。

每年的3月13日至15日連續舉行三天，整天不能進湯水，直到儀式結束才一起分享飯糰。期間不得折損植物，祭品不可見天，須在房內用手吃飯。據說祭典期間必定放晴，十分靈驗。

宗教信仰

賽夏族除超自然信仰外，以祖靈祭和矮靈祭最具代表性。

 

特殊文化

• 賽夏族的氏族姓氏大都以動植物及自然現象作為氏族名號，如：風、根、夏、蟹、日、章（樟）等15個姓氏
• 文面與紋身：男女皆有，紋身則是獵頭勇士的專利，通常刺青於胸前。男子成年時在上額及下顎各刺一列紋飾。女子僅刺在上額。和泰雅族在雙頰刺上寬邊的V形紋飾不同。獵過二個人頭的男子則在胸前左乳肋骨刺第一道紋，獵三個首級者在右乳肋骨刺一道紋，往後如有收穫依次再加刺紋。
• 肩旗（kilakil）又稱「舞帽」、「月光旗」，是各氏族的代表。南、北群的造型不同，肩旗上面寫有家族的姓氏，在矮靈祭時獨立繞行於祭場，通常由族裡的男子負責扛旗。
• 神鞭（Patbutu）是南賽夏族人南祭團舉行矮靈祭時使用的法器，北賽夏的儀式祭典中並不使用。神鞭由南賽夏朱姓的男性負責使用，若朱姓以外的人揮舞賽夏族人認為會遭受天譴或不幸（若朱姓的妻子懷孕也不能碰，否則會對胎兒不利）。神鞭製作使用約二公尺的鹿仔樹皮結索作成，根部留二十公分，製成百步蛇頭形做柄，其餘除去木材部分，將樹皮切割成三片交互編織成一條索，尾端在綁上八條約三公分的藤條製作而成。傳說神鞭象徵百步蛇，有制煞避邪作用。神鞭的功能和意義在南賽夏族的眼中是一種傳統信仰又可以撫慰他們心靈。早期的矮靈祭典中月光是很重要的，南賽夏族相信揮舞神鞭可以將烏雲帶走，為族人帶來光明和平。所以南祭團在進行矮靈祭典若雨霧不止或烏雲遮月的時候，認為矮靈作怪，這時由朱姓主祭者從祖靈屋裡拿出神鞭，在舞場對著空氣抽打，使神鞭發出「咻！咻！噠！噠！」聲響，打的愈響亮，天氣就會愈好。在矮靈祭典的時候，會有許多病患、小孩、婦女和老人都會上前去觸摸舞鞭者的背部，據說這樣可以掃除邪魔，祈求諸事平安。

 

知名人物

庚志優 電視節目主持人

夏錦春(行政院原民會主秘)

 

 

Map of Taiwanese Aboriginal Tribes