Cultural Change And Identity - The Saisiyat Family And Jino Investigation

The politics, economics and social environment have changed thoroughly in both sides of the Taiwan straits since 1950',and the minority society is always one of the groups which are influenced by the changes. Because the colonialism has spread all over the world since west countries developed well, the world minorities are continuously dominated, disintegrated and regrouped, and they are still in the process of radical changes, which led to the assimilation, disintegration and disappearance of many nationalities(ethnic groups). A nationality distinguished from other nationalities at present time must have its' culture traits and adaptable methods(means).Choosing the Saisiat in Taiwan and the Jinuo in Yunnan as the object of study, this dissertation probes how minorities regard culture traits except language as their identity symbols, which can keep them existing when their languages are close to vanishing. This dissertation wants to use traditional beliefs and ceremonies to illustrate that it is possible that sacrificial rites became the identity symbols when keeping language tends towards pessimism.This dissertation comprises seven chapters. Chapter one explains the author's intention and purpose, the process and methods of date gathering and the dissertation's structure, and gives a review to the related theories of rites and research documents.Chapter two briefly introduces the situation of using languages of Saisiat and Jinuo, and gives the retrospection of nationalities relationship at Saisiat and Jinuo through the limited historical data.Chapter three completely records the traditional beliefs and sacrificial rites of all kinds, and probe into the relations between social action and community political organizations in rites.Chapter four recounts the social, economic and culture influence of external religious when they diffuse in societies of Saisiat and Jinuo . Culture changes are proposed, especially their influence, examples and solutions.Chapter five discusses how Saisiat and Jinuo solve the problems, adapt the changes and regard traditional rites as their identity symbols in the-process of religious. The influence emerged when governmental actions intervene societies of Saisiat and Jinuo is also put forward.Chapter six analyses and compares Saisiat and Jinuo culture changes with Jinuo's, it also compares rites and identity with countries and national consciousness. Through the comparison, the meaning of rites and identity is proposed.Chapter seven is the part of conclusion, it explains that it is the feedback ofgovernmental actions that language was regards as the national identity symbol in different space-time situation. It also stress that the ritual function of social identity is one kind of manifestation of culture writing.In the process of modernization, the traditional culture of minorities disappear very fast. Besides keeping the language, the methods to deal with the problem should include regarding ritual culture. Culture such as pas-taai of the Saisiat and Temaoke of the Jinuo mentioned in this dissertation as the national identity symbol. How can a minority seek its new identity system when its language is close vanishing . This dissertation probably provides a new point consideration.