Taught and cared by yata’: The indigeneity of being educated between an Atayal school and its afterschool programme

In this talk, the SOAS Social Anthropology PhD student Tuyuq Rabay will talk about his ethnographic research regarding the Atayal school and its afterschool programme in Taiwan.

In 2016, following the apology by President Tsai Ing-wen towards indigenous communities, Taiwan society embarks on its journey to reconcile relations with past historical injustice, various indigenous curricula emerge which promotes indigeneity rather the continuity a Han-centric education. Amongst these education initiatives, the level of Basic Competence, however, is a crucial point for indigenous schools to be emphasised in the learning setting. 

In this talk, I am going to briefly explore how indigeneity of being educated develops in a state-led Atayal Elementary School where collaborates with public-funded afterschool programme to achieve the Basic Competence of any indigenous student. By doing the school ethnography in and beyond an indigenous elementary school, this talk aims to reflect on how yata’ from local villages plays the focal role to bridge the institutionalised schooling between the Basic Competence achievement and the Atayal heritage learning. Additionally, the kindship relations of the Atayal educator have highlighted the impact on students’ learning as well as the smooth nurturance of the indigeneity of being educated in an Atayal Elementary school.

(Image via Tuyuq Rabay)