aeeble

account_circleLogin

Ketagalan Culture Museum

2021-04-20
+886-2-28986500
台北市北投區中山路3-1號
The Ketagalan Culture Center records the historical context of the Plains Aborigines and displays contemporary aboriginal art and artifacts. In addition to hot springs, Beitou also offers a unique aboriginal cultural charm.

The name "Beitou" originates from a transliteration of the Ketagalan word, meaning "witch." Over four centuries ago, it was home to the Ketagalan people. To preserve and promote the aboriginal cultural and artistic heritage, the Taipei City Government's Aboriginal Affairs Committee established the Ketagalan Culture Center in November 2002. The entire structure is specifically designed to exhibit aboriginal culture and art, providing urban indigenous communities a dedicated space for cultural inheritance and craft training.

Before entering the cultural center, rows of wooden poles lined along the path are adorned with tin works displaying various expressions, including symbolic figures holding hands to represent ethnic integration. These installations convey the idea of everyone being part of the same family. The exhibition areas inside are thematically arranged by floor, offering a lively and engaging way to explore the historical and cultural context of the indigenous community, making it a prime spot for up-close cultural experiences.

The ten-story main building, with its exterior constructed from layered stone slabs, resembles a breathing structure. Its minimalist yet bold design resonates with the surrounding hot spring hotels and Beitou Hot Spring Park. The bright first-floor lobby features vibrant woven ethnic patterns on the flooring, guiding visitors into the embrace of a tribal community. Time-worn stone carvings, striking wooden sculptures, and traditional hunting tools displayed on the walls vividly recreate the ancestral aboriginal lifestyle of pursuing animals like water deer and boars. Every scene and object within the center reveals traces of their traditional living customs!

Floors one through three not only showcase indigenous artifacts and significant collections of the Plains Aborigines but also serve as a public space for performances, gatherings, training sessions, and as a venue to strengthen connections among urban aboriginal communities. The center offers a reading room specializing in aboriginal-themed books and literature. Its diverse collection enhances tourists' appreciation and understanding of aboriginal art and culture, while also inspiring children to explore and appreciate the country's ethnic diversity. The mountains, plains, and valleys of Taiwan have nurtured the rich cultural identities of fourteen indigenous tribes. The Ketagalan Culture Center preserves their spiritual rituals, festivals, and daily customs. Visitors can learn about the earliest inhabitants on Taiwan Island and discover the wisdom of forebears embedded in this land. If lucky, they might catch a glimpse of aboriginal groups in traditional attire gathering or performing at the center, showcasing their warm-hearted and genuine nature.

Since its opening, the Ketagalan Culture Center has hosted numerous aboriginal cultural events and traditional handicraft exhibitions. Works by many indigenous artists are also displayed here, blending rural and urban aspects, tradition and modernity, to fulfill the cultural center's meaningful purpose. Taiwan's diverse ethnic groups have created a colorful cultural palette. The Ketagalan Culture Center is not only a national treasure house for aboriginal cultural collections but also a multifunctional training center for indigenous artistry and culture. Located in the New Beitou Hot Spring District, after immersing in its rich culture and art, visitors might leisurely stroll through the misty hot spring town in search of further traces of the Ketagalan people!
Images
Ratings
Related Lists
Comments