This hand-painted decorative plate is signed by the artist and depicts a Paiwan warrior in traditional ceremonial costume. Behind the warrior is an earthenware vessel with hundred-pace pit viper motif. This type of vessel was considered sacred as it was thought to be the dwelling place of the ancestral spirits. Thus, it was never used in daily life, but rather stored on shelves in the chieftain’s home, only to be taken out for special ceremonies and rites. In the background is a faint outline of Dawu Mountain, the sacred mountain of the Paiwan tribe.
In the artist’s description of this art work, he says that,
“When I was a little boy, the person I most looked up to was a hunter. I watched as he silently packed up some dried goods for his journey, then set off with his dog toward the mountains without looking back. He would stay alone there, battling animals, nature and who knew what else for one or two months, before returning to the village to share the meat that he had obtained during his hunt. Once I grew up, my village had already lost its hunting traditions and hunting grounds. There were no more so-called “warriors”. But, I feel that no matter if we are talking about the past or now, all ‘warriors’ must ultimately battle themselves.” For information or quotation, e-mail to info@tribe-asia.com