Ami
Encyclopedia
The Amis are an indigenous people of Taiwan
. They speak Amis
, an Austronesian
language, and are one of the thirteen officially recognized peoples of Taiwanese aborigines
. The traditional territory of the Amis include the long, narrow valley between the Central Mountains and the Coastal Mountains, the Pacific coastal plain eastern to the Coastal Mountains, and the Hengchun Peninsula.
In the year 2000 the Ami numbered 148,992. This was approximately 37.5% of Taiwan's total indigenous population, making them the largest tribal group. The Amis are primarily fishermen due to their coastal location. They are traditionally matrilineal
..Traditional Amis villages were relatively large for indigenous groups, typically between 500 and 1,000. In today's Taiwan, the Amis also comprise the majority of "urban aboriginals" and have developed many "urban tribes" all around the island.
.
According to Taiwanese Aboriginal History: Amis, the Amis are classified into five groups:
Note that such classification, however widely accepted, is merely based on the geographical distribution and tribal migration. It does not match the observed differences in culture, language, and physiques.
used an Ami chant
in their song "Return to Innocence
" in their second album, The Cross of Changes
. This song was the theme song of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
. The main chorus of it was sung by Difang (Chinese name Kuo Ying-nan) and his wife, Igay (Chinese name Kuo Hsiu-chu), part of a Taiwan
ese aboriginal cultural performance group. Maison des Cultures du Monde recorded their singing while they were on tour and released a CD, which was subsequently used by Enigma (without mentioning the ethnic origin of the song and the singers). The case was later settled out of court. Ami singing is known for its complex contrapuntal polyphony
.
The most important traditional ceremony is the Harvest Festival
. The Ami's Harvest festival is to show the people's thanks and appreciations to the gods and to pray for harvest in the next coming year. It takes place every July to September.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. They speak Amis
Amis language
Amis is the Formosan language of the Amis Ami, an indigenous tribal people living along the east coast of Taiwan . It is spoken from Hualien in the north to Taitung in the south, with another population near the southern end of the island, though the northern varieties are sometimes considered a...
, an Austronesian
Austronesian languages
The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia that are spoken by about 386 million people. It is on par with Indo-European, Niger-Congo, Afroasiatic and Uralic as one of the...
language, and are one of the thirteen officially recognized peoples of Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...
. The traditional territory of the Amis include the long, narrow valley between the Central Mountains and the Coastal Mountains, the Pacific coastal plain eastern to the Coastal Mountains, and the Hengchun Peninsula.
In the year 2000 the Ami numbered 148,992. This was approximately 37.5% of Taiwan's total indigenous population, making them the largest tribal group. The Amis are primarily fishermen due to their coastal location. They are traditionally matrilineal
Matrilineality
Matrilineality is a system in which descent is traced through the mother and maternal ancestors. Matrilineality is also a societal system in which one belongs to one's matriline or mother's lineage, which can involve the inheritance of property and/or titles.A matriline is a line of descent from a...
..Traditional Amis villages were relatively large for indigenous groups, typically between 500 and 1,000. In today's Taiwan, the Amis also comprise the majority of "urban aboriginals" and have developed many "urban tribes" all around the island.
Identity and classification
The Amis people generally identify themselves as Pangcah, which means "human" or "people of our kind." Nonetheless, in today's Taiwan, Amis is much more frequently used. This name comes from the word amis, meaning "north." There is still no consensus in the academic circle how "Amis" came to be used to address the Pangcah. One supposition is that it was originally used by the Puyuma to call the Pangcah, as the Pangcah lived to the north of them. Another supposition holds that those who lived in the Taitung Plain called themselves "Amis" because their ancestors had come from the north. The later explanation is recorded in the Banzoku Chōsa Hōkokusho (Survey Reports on the Savages, 1913–1918, Taipei. See: vol.8, p. 4), indicating this might originate from what is classified by anthropologists as Falangaw Amis, the Amis group located from today's Chengkong to the Taitung Plain. Their closest genetic relative appears to be the FilipinosFilipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
.
According to Taiwanese Aboriginal History: Amis, the Amis are classified into five groups:
- Northern group (located on the Chihlai/Hualien Plain)
- Middle group (located west to the Coastal Mountains)
- Coastal group (located east to the Coastal Mountains)
- Falangaw group (located between Chengkong and the Taitung Plain)
- Hengchun group (located on the Hengchun Peninsula)
Note that such classification, however widely accepted, is merely based on the geographical distribution and tribal migration. It does not match the observed differences in culture, language, and physiques.
Other information
Family affairs including finance of the family are decided by the female householder, in the Ami tradition. Not many people may have seen the Ami, but many people may have heard the Ami. The musical project EnigmaEnigma (musical project)
Enigma is an electronic musical project founded in Germany by Michael Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. The Romanian-born Cretu conceived the Enigma project while working in Germany, but has based his recording studio A.R.T. Studios in Ibiza, Spain, since the early 1990s until May...
used an Ami chant
Chant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
in their song "Return to Innocence
Return to Innocence
"Return to Innocence" is a 1994 song created by the musical group Enigma. The single was the first from their chart-topping second album, The Cross of Changes....
" in their second album, The Cross of Changes
The Cross of Changes
The Cross of Changes is a 1993 album by the musical project Enigma. It is Enigma's second album, following MCMXC a.D., released three years earlier....
. This song was the theme song of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. The main chorus of it was sung by Difang (Chinese name Kuo Ying-nan) and his wife, Igay (Chinese name Kuo Hsiu-chu), part of a Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese aboriginal cultural performance group. Maison des Cultures du Monde recorded their singing while they were on tour and released a CD, which was subsequently used by Enigma (without mentioning the ethnic origin of the song and the singers). The case was later settled out of court. Ami singing is known for its complex contrapuntal polyphony
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
.
The most important traditional ceremony is the Harvest Festival
Harvest festival
A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world...
. The Ami's Harvest festival is to show the people's thanks and appreciations to the gods and to pray for harvest in the next coming year. It takes place every July to September.
Notable Amis people
- Chang Chen-yueChang Chen-yueChang Chen-yue, also known as A-Yue is a Taiwanese rock musician known for his 1998 hit song "Ai Wo Bie Zou". He is a songwriter, singer and guitarist, and also a dance music DJ under the name DJ Orange. Chang is also the frontman of his band, Free Night, also known as Free9...
, singer - Difang and Igay DuanaDifang and Igay DuanaDifang Duana and Igay Duana , Chinese names Kuo Ying-nan and Kuo Hsiu-chu , were an Amis husband and wife farmers who became known as a folk music duo from Taiwan who specialized in traditional Amis chants. Their most recognized work is of a performance of a traditional Amis Palang song Difang...
, husband-and-wife folk music duo - Van FanVan FanVan Yi-Chen Fan is a Taiwanese aborigine singer and actor best known for Cape No...
, singer - Jam HsiaoJam HsiaoJam Hsiao was born on 30 March 1987 at Taipei, Taiwan). He is a Taiwanese Mandopop singer. In summer 2007, Hsiao rose to fame after only three brief appearances in the first season of China Television 's star search show, One Million Star , which is a singing competition reality show similar to...
, singer - Ehlo HuangEhlo HuangEhlo Huang is a Taiwanese actor and member of Taiwanese group 183 Club. He is of Hakka and Amis descent.- TV Series :-External links:...
, actor and member of pop group 183 Club183 Club183 Club is a Taiwanese boyband managed by Jungiery. In other words, 183 Club is part of J-Star. Originally they were called "183 Yu Le Bu," meaning "183 Entertainment Group," but it was later decided that the name should be shortened to what it is now: 183 Club. The average height of the... - Lin Chih-chiehLin Chih-chiehLin Chih-Chieh is a Taiwanese professional basketball player of Amis descent. During his career with the Taiwan Beer club of the Super Basketball League , Lin has won one most valuable player award and two scoring champion titles, while leading his team to back-to-back championships in 2007 and...
, basketball player - Show LuoShow LuoShow Luo also known as Xiao Zhu was born on 30 July 1979. He is a Taiwanese entertainer: Mandopop singer, dancer, host and actor. He has been dubbed "Dancing King of Asia" for his dancing skills.-Biography:...
, singer and actor - TankTank (Taiwanese singer)Tank is the stage name of Taiwanese singer-songwriter Lǚ Jiàn Zhōng. Tank is currently signed to HIM International Music. Tank's debut album, Fighting 生存之道 was released on February 23, 2006. His latest album, "The 3rd Round", was released on May 31, 2009.-Biography:Tank was born in Taitung, Taiwan...
, singer - Chin-hui TsaoChin-hui TsaoChin-Hui Tsao is a former Major League Baseball and CPBL pitcher. He is the second major league player and the first major league pitcher of Republic of China nationality, and like the first, former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Chin-Feng Chen, he is a Taiwanese aborigine...
, baseball player - Chen Chih-yuan, baseball player
- Yang Chuan-kwangYang Chuan-KwangYang Chuan-kwang, or C.K. Yang , was an Olympic decathlete from the Republic of China....
, Olympic decathlete - Teruo NakamuraTeruo NakamuraPrivate was a Taiwan-born soldier of the Imperial Japanese Army who fought for Japan in World War II and did not surrender until 1974.His name in his native language appears to have been Attun Palalin...
, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
-born soldier of the Imperial Japanese ArmyImperial Japanese Army-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
and the last Japanese holdoutJapanese holdoutJapanese holdouts or stragglers were Japanese soldiers in the Pacific Theatre who, after the August 1945 surrender of Japan that marked the end of World War II, either adamantly doubted the veracity of the formal surrender due to strong dogmatic or militaristic principles, or were not aware of it...
soldier of World War II