Austronesian（indigenous）cultures have made their home in Taiwan for hundreds of thousands of years. Each tribe and village draws upon a rich and unique cultural heritage that is rooted in untold centuries of accumulated experience and wisdom. However, the transformative impact of outside cultural, social, and political influences has in modern times eroded the cultural heritage and former cultural predominance of Austronesians on Taiwan. Throughout the modern era, Taiwan’s Austronesian tribes have faced a withering and unmitigated threat that began with the loss of ancestral lands and proceeded to steadily erode linguistic and cultural knowledge. Today, tribal memories are at real risk of wholesale disappearance. In 21st-century work toward transitional justice in the realms of history, culture, and politics, issues related to Taiwan’s indigenous Austronesian cultures cannot be overlooked or undervalued. The Way It Was: A Special Exhibition on Transitional Justice in Taiwan Indigenous Literature tackles a serious issue from a literary perspective, examining related issues and the goals of transitional justice through the lens of contemporary indigenous authors. This special exhibition works to shed clear light onto this serious subject and to help visitors both see the problems and appreciate the significance of the transitional justice process. Books, music, audio-visual material, and articles together assist the thoughtful visitor to better understand the cultural heritage and cultural efforts of indigenous authors.

Note: The use of words such as “wild” and “savage” in works presented in this special exhibition should be taken in their contemporary historical contexts only. No slur or offense is implied or intended by the organizers.