August 1st of each year is the Indigenous People's Day, symbolizing the recognition of ethnic identity and cultural values. The Youth Development Administration （YDA） of the Ministry of Education has promoted the “Youth Community Participation and Action 2.0 - Changemaker Project” in long time, encouraging youth who are aged 18 to 35 to go deep into their hometowns and participating in local public affairs with practical actions, and promoting youth's care and practice of land, language, and culture. Among them, the indigenous youth showed their enthusiasm for cultural inheritance in the tribe and revitalized traditional skills and artistic expressions through innovative forms, reflecting the cultural responsibility and innovative spirit of the young generation.
The “部落抓地力” team from the ”Likavung” tribe in Taitung is composed of Puyuma youth. They started by learning traditional knife skills and interviewed tribal elders to gain a deeper understanding of the role of division and knife usage contexts of different age groups in tribal life. They further designed role cards and explanation diagrams, promoted the participation of tribe members through cross-generational workshops, strengthened internal organizational cooperation, and allowed returning youth and expatriate tribe members to re-establish connections with the tribe. This action not only passed on cultural knowledge, but also increased the participation and identity of the tribe in public affairs.
The “帆家班REACTION CREW” team located in the “Kulu” tribe of Hualien is composed of Truku youth who love street dance. The team invited expatriate youth to return home, and uses street dance to integrate aboriginal culture and theater performances to jointly create stage performances with tribal vocabulary. Through the modern expression way of dance, it not only conveys the emotions and cultural identity of the hometown, but also injects creativity and vitality into local culture, allowing the community to see the creativity of youth and the diversity of aboriginal culture.
The YDA of the Ministry of Education stated that the “Youth Community Participation and Action 2.0 - Changemaker Project” aims to help youth invest in local public participation and build a bridge of communication between youth and local communities. This year, a total of 50 action teams were approved, covering diverse issues and ethnic cultures across Taiwan. By continuously promoting local implementation, we look forward to having more youth respond to local needs and demonstrate their commitment to cultural heritage and social innovation. For more information on project achievements and action stories, please visit the official website of the “Youth Community Participation and Action 2.0 - Changemaker Project” （https://changemaker.yda.gov.tw）.
The member of“部落抓地力” team gather materials to make the handle and scabbard.
The “帆家班REACTION CREW” team participated in the 2023 Hualien County United Games and performed.