By Salizan Tikisvilainan (沙力浪)
Translated by Melanie A. Leng
Every four years, Indigenous Taiwan writers, including Rimuy Aki (里慕伊．阿紀), Ma Yi-Hang Varasung (馬翊航), Kuei Chun Miya (米雅), Ahronglong Sakinu (亞榮隆．撒可努), and myself, participate in the literary forum at the Festival of Pacific Arts (FestPAC). FestPAC was held in the South Pacific Islands initially as a form of resistance against Western colonial influences and a means of preserving traditional culture. It later evolved into an activity aimed at cultural revitalization and educational promotion.
On June 6, a grand opening ceremony was held in the gymnasium of the University of Hawai’i. The literature forum was held the following day. Booths set up by South Pacific Islanders surrounded the venue, creating an especially lively atmosphere. After we entered the venue, the doors were closed, shutting out all the sounds of festivity from the outside world. The event began with a drinking ceremony involving kava, a beverage with a long history in Polynesian cultures, made from the roots of the kava pepper plant. Hawaiians call the beverage 'awa, a name that carries the meaning of "bitter." A priest passed to me an 'apu 'awa cup made from a coconut shell, took a big gulp, and then poured the remaining liquid onto the ground to give thanks to the heavens and the earth. Next, we took turns narrating the history of our respective ethnic groups, introducing our purpose in participating and the content we wanted to share. In the tranquil venue, we quietly conducted the ceremony and recounted our own stories through spoken words.
After the opening ceremony, the doors were opened once again, allowing both authors and readers to begin the exchange and discussions. Dr. Keanu Sai explained his research on Hawaiian sovereignty. Dr. Keao NeSmith introduced his work in translation, and mentioned that he used to think in English before writing out his thoughts in Hawaiian. He created a Hawaiian translation of Harry Potter and had the character himself speak in Hawaiian. New Zealand author Karlo Mila shared a poem by Kanakay from New Caledonia, which illuminated our understanding of sovereignty in the Pacific Island region. She mentioned that while we were here to share our art, it was words (including the law) that were our weapons, guiding us on how to seek out strength in indigeneity and move towards sovereignty. In the words of Siobhon R. McManus, a writer from Guam, "Our home has been surrounded with walls of armies. At first we fought them; now we use art to show our resistance."
June 13th was the day for writers from Taiwan to share their work. We each spoke about our creative journeys and their links to women, ecology, and gender identity. I spoke under the title of ‘Go Over Mountains Back to Masisan,’ Seeing the World One Mountain at a Time, Fluttering Across the Ocean” and shared my poem with my South Pacific friends. When I first visited Hawai’i in 2018, I climbed Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain there. This is also the highest mountain I have scaled so far. After descending the mountain, I gradually realized that these mountains, like us, face various issues: while they are confronted by plans for the construction of a giant telescope, we have had our land be requisitioned by the state to convert into national parks, preventing us from hunting, farming, or building homes on our own land. From this experience, I came to understand the various challenges of the Pacific Islands in modern times and developed an appreciation for its diverse cultures.
Our traditional knowledge of the mountains and forests was passed down orally by our elders, but the Japanese colonial regime relocated us from an altitude of 2000 meters to the plains. The country that soon followed turned our lands into national parks. Mainstream education by the national government has caused our people to move to cities for work in pursuit of better economic opportunities. Those who are able to frequently return to the mountains are now high-mountain guides (porters and assistants) and have come to inherit the knowledge of the forests from our ancestors. Because I often tag along with them, I am fortunate enough to be able to record these details and turn them into writing.
The 10-day festival brought together nearly 30 delegations from various Pacific Island nations and regions. In Honolulu, traditional songs, dances, and crafts were showcased, strengthening the cultural identities of Pacific Islands. This event has gradually become an occasion for expressing political stances and an opportunity to address social issues, including colonial oppression and climate change. Native Hawaiians also take this opportunity to draw public attention to issues such as pollution caused by the American military and rising housing prices triggered by land occupation. It is the job of writers to witness and record these events.
Through coordination by Ahronglong Sakinu, we had an additional opportunity to meet outside of the official event. We arrived at the only bookstore in Hawai’i that specializes in selling Indigenous books—Books at Arts & Letters. This was my first time sharing my book, From the Moment of Breaking Up – The Austronesian Languages Under the Southern Cross, on an island in the Pacific, and the first time that I shared in the suffering endured by Indigenous peoples under different forms of colonization.
Under stars and stripes, twelve rays of light,
and under the sun's sharp blade
came the sound of explosions from Bikini,
that, across five southern crosses on a banner,
cut the foreign words Hello, Bonjour, and Konnichiwa.
Emotions flutter, like a swaying, unsteady flag.
Here, through writing, weaving, dancing, and carving, we not only conveyed the beauty of our traditional culture but also demonstrated the dynamic nature of our ethnicities and cultures. We are not inhabitants of American, French, British, or Australian territories. We truly exist, pursuing independence and decolonization, and seeking the history and spirit of the land.
Rebuild the outrigger canoe.
Send forgotten glory and faint sounds of speech
to follow the light of the stars,
to give chase once again,
to ride the winds,
and brave the waves once more
to call out the light and heavy inflections of the islands of the south wind.
I hope to continue following the winds of the Pacific, immersing myself in its ever-flowing culture and experiencing everything it has to offer.
Salizan Tikisvilainan
Salizan Tikisvilainan, born in 1981 in Hualien, is from the Nakahila village of the Bunun people. He is the founder of the independent publishing house Tastubuqul tu maduq i malas-Bunun tu papatasanan (一串小米族語獨立出版工作室). Salizan Tikisvilainan has received numerous literary awards, including the Taiwan Literature Award, the Aboriginal Literature Award, and the Houshan Literature Award. In addition to his literary creations, he also works as a high-mountain guide and is dedicated to the preservation of the Bunun tribal languages and culture.