On the morning of December 2, President Ma Ying-jeou attended the opening ceremonies of the 2013 International Austronesian Conference, which was organized by the Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan. In addition to expressing his hope that discussions among participants would enhance mutual understanding among Austronesian peoples, the president also emphasized that the government will continue to promote and preserve the languages and cultures of Taiwan's indigenous tribes.
In remarks, the president stated that the Council of Indigenous Peoples held its first Assembly of Austronesian Leaders 11 years ago in 2002. Each year, he said, experts and scholars from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and the Americas are invited to attend the forum to explore themes related to the sustainable development of Austronesian peoples. The conference has provided a platform for a close interaction and exchange among peoples throughout the globe who speak Austronesian languages, he commented. In particular, the president noted, Taiwan is one of the places where Austronesian tribes originated, so holding an international conference like this in Taiwan is extremely significant.
President Ma remarked that the main theme of this year's conference is "Indigenous Education–Its Practical Applications and Future Prospects," and that there would be a special focus on the current state and future direction of indigenous education. The president stated that the ROC government at present formally recognizes a total of 14 indigenous tribes in Taiwan. Each of these tribes has its own language, he pointed out, adding that in order to preserve the culture of these tribes, whose languages in the past were solely oral in nature, the Council of Indigenous Peoples this year is providing financial assistance to 15 cities and counties throughout Taiwan to organize indigenous community colleges. A total of 655 courses have been held and 10,359 individuals have completed courses, he said. At the same time, the government has also established three indigenous schools for the three most populous tribes – the Amis, the Puyuma, and the Paiwan. He noted that people attend these schools during their summer and winter vacations, and take courses in traditional culture and tribal characteristics that are held entirely in their native tribal languages. In addition, the government plans to establish two more schools of this type next year for the Atayal and the Bunun tribes, he said.
President Ma stated that according to a 2009 report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and local linguistic scholars, nine indigenous tribal languages in Taiwan are "endangered languages." According to statistics from the Ethnologue, a language databank, Taiwan originally was home to 26 indigenous languages and four of these have already been lost, while 22 are still in existence, he said. Of these remaining 22, five are considered institutional, seven are still in the developing stage, one is in vigorous use, two are in trouble, and seven are dying, according to the research. The government is therefore actively promoting a mentor mechanism for indigenous languages in order to promote the teaching of these languages, while also organizing activities where individuals can use and practice them, he commented. At the same time, the president stated, many in the younger generations are not well versed in their tribal languages, so the government is encouraging families of indigenous tribes to resume the habit of speaking their native languages.
President Ma also mentioned that in July of this year Taiwan and New Zealand signed the Agreement between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC). This agreement includes a special chapter on cooperation among the indigenous peoples of both countries, he said. The president noted that this is the first trade agreement between the ROC and another country that includes a chapter on cooperation among indigenous peoples. This highlights the importance that the two nations place on indigenous affairs, and shows that the two sides hope to make indigenous affairs an important topic in their international exchanges, he stated.
President Ma expressed his feeling that Taiwan is quite fortunate to be home to such a diverse range of indigenous cultures, for it offers the public the opportunity to experience different cultures, traditions, and lifestyles, and helps to promote tolerance among different ethnic groups. The president therefore expressed hope that international ties in this regard will continue to be enhanced and that international conventions and bilateral treaties will protect and promote the cultures of indigenous peoples, ensure cultural diversity, and enable more of these cultures to survive.