Austronesian cultural festival features aboriginal woodcarvings / 南島文化節 邀國寶木雕家評審創作　　　　　　　　　　

At the Taitung Austronesian cultural festival, 12 aboriginal woodcarvers from Taitung, Hualien, and Pingtung finished their latest carvings on the scene. The Taitung County Government has invited three carvers to become judges, now looking for business sponsorship to keep the art form alive for generations to come! The three judges are greatly looking forward to hearing about the 12 artists' creative process. Even visitors can't help but ask questions. For example, a miniature, wooden 10 person boat has attracted questions from visitors curious about the creative process. Aboriginal woodcarvings have reflected the growing awareness among aboriginal communities of their history, shining new light on historical events pertinent to their tribes. The work "Passing" is a tribute to the many Amis soldiers who were sent by the Japanese army to the jungles of Southeast Asian to fight during WWII, dying abroad never to return home. The wings on the carving are meant to carry home their souls, refocusing our attention on this part of history. ==SIKI SUFIN, Amis woodcarver== The government has consistently overlooked this history, particularly as it concerns Taiwanese aboriginals, which I consider an offense against our human rights. ==WU HUI-QIN, Taitung County Indigenous Administration Director== The woodcarvings are not only creative, but were also meticulously carved. The Taitung county government says the 12 woodcarvings are invaluable collector's items, looking to attract business sponsorship to enable these aboriginal arts to continue. TRANSLATED BY：M. LARSEN-STRECKER 這12件台東南島文化節原住民木雕工藝作品，不但台東縣政府邀請來的3位國寶級原住民木雕家評審，很希望知道作者的創作理念，就連遊客也忍不住好奇發問，像這艘蘭嶼10人座拼板舟縮小版木雕，就吸引遊客瞭解創作的理念，也好奇的發問。 原住民的木雕創作，近幾年來受到原住民各族群歷史發展意識抬頭，現代的作品也開始融入了部落很少受到重視的歷史事件議題。像這個創作「穿越」，就是要呈現在二次世界大戰期間，不少阿美族人被日軍徵調到南洋叢林作戰，最後客死異鄉再也回不了家的歷史。作者希望透過木雕上的一對翅膀，把他們的靈魂帶回來，也讓大家再好好研究這段歷史事件。 ==阿美族木雕家 希巨．蘇飛== 在1945年之前的這一段歷史 尤其是針對台灣原住民的部份 政府一直都忽略掉這一段 我覺得對台灣原住民人權部份 是一個很大的傷害 ==台東縣原住民行政處長 吳慧琴== 這次的木雕創作 除了有創作之外 其實還有他們比較細緻的雕法 台東縣政府說，這12件南島文化節木雕創作都具有很高的收藏的價值，呼籲企業界能夠認養，提供原住民持續創作的原動力。 記者 章明哲 台東報導