Sakizaya people
 |
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (est. 5,000–10,000.) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Hualien | |
| Languages | |
| Mandarin, Sakizaya, Formosan languages | |
| Religion | |
| Ancestor Worship, Animism, Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Amis, Kavalan, other Taiwanese aborigines |
The Sakizaya (native name: Sakuzaya, literally "real man"; Chinese: 撒奇萊雅族; Hanyu Pinyin: Sāqíláiyǎ; Tongyong Pinyin: Sacíláiyǎ; occasionally Sakiraya or Sakidaya) are Taiwanese Aborigines with a population of approximately 5,000–10,000. They primarily live in the cities/counties of Keelung, Taoyuan City, and New Taipei, as well as on Hualien (formerly known as Chilai or Kiray), where their culture is centered.
The Sakizaya are an Austronesian people, mostly related to other Taiwanese Aborigines and have cultural, linguistic, and genetic ties to other Austronesian ethnic groups, such as those from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Oceania. Though their language is their most defining feature; it has not been recognized as a "true language" but simply a dialect of Amis, even though the languages are not grammatically similar.
The Sakizaya traditionally practiced ancestor worship, which includes the worship of a pantheon of gods and ancestral spirits. However, most have converted to Christianity. Their society is mostly matrilinear, and women often have the authority. On January 17, 2007, the tribe satisfied the Taiwanese government's requirements for full tribal status. Before this, the tribe was previously classified as Amis, the tribe where they "hid" after they, and their Kavalan allies, fought a devastating battle against Qing invaders during the late 19th century.
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Wikipedia