From Planting to Home: Cultural Healing and Ethnobiological Resilience among Indigenous Communities in Taiwan
Tracks
Kuranda Ballroom
| Wednesday, July 29, 2026 |
| 1:45 PM - 2:00 PM |
Speaker
Prof Wei-Chi Chang
Associate Professor
Department of Environmental and Cultural Resources, National Tsing Hua University
From Planting to Home: Cultural Healing and Ethnobiological Resilience among Indigenous Communities in Taiwan
ISE Congress 2026 Abstract
Taiwan, often regarded as a potential homeland of Austronesian cultures, faces increasing challenges from climate change and rapid modernization that have disrupted Indigenous peoples’ connections to land and livelihood. This study explores how Indigenous communities have responded through the revival of traditional crop cultivation as a means of cultural healing and social reconstruction.
From 2023 to 2025, the research was conducted through ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews in two Indigenous agricultural organizations: pinaiwanan a lami (Paiwan), a post-disaster farmers’ collective that returned to a landslide-prone area to cultivate ritual staples such as millet and taro; and Hana’s Farm (Amis), which revives Indigenous vegetables and grains to support single mothers and rebuild networks of care through food knowledge.
The findings reveal that:
1. Traditional crop cultivation functions as an integrated biocultural system encompassing ecological adaptation, linguistic embodiment, and community-based enterprise.
2. Linguistic analyses of Paiwan (uma’/quma) and Amis (loma’/omah) terms show that the concept of “home” is grounded in the shared act of cultivation (qemuma/paloma), representing a dynamic, living home beyond the static house.
3. The study details ecological techniques (e.g., weed-managed wild-vegetable beds, soil modulation for millet), crop choices tied to ritual and daily diets, and the sensory-symbolic roles of bitterness and taste in cultural pedagogy. These edible-plant practices serve as conduits for intergenerational knowledge transmission, reconnect people with ritual calendars, and provide psychosocial healing in the aftermath of displacement.
This study contributes to ethnobiological discussions on biocultural resilience and action ethnobiology, demonstrating how the revival of traditional crops regenerates ecological knowledge, cultural identity, and collective well-being. Ethnographically, it provides insight into how Indigenous agricultural practices embody both cultural continuity and innovation, offering practical pathways toward food sovereignty and sustainable futures.
From 2023 to 2025, the research was conducted through ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews in two Indigenous agricultural organizations: pinaiwanan a lami (Paiwan), a post-disaster farmers’ collective that returned to a landslide-prone area to cultivate ritual staples such as millet and taro; and Hana’s Farm (Amis), which revives Indigenous vegetables and grains to support single mothers and rebuild networks of care through food knowledge.
The findings reveal that:
1. Traditional crop cultivation functions as an integrated biocultural system encompassing ecological adaptation, linguistic embodiment, and community-based enterprise.
2. Linguistic analyses of Paiwan (uma’/quma) and Amis (loma’/omah) terms show that the concept of “home” is grounded in the shared act of cultivation (qemuma/paloma), representing a dynamic, living home beyond the static house.
3. The study details ecological techniques (e.g., weed-managed wild-vegetable beds, soil modulation for millet), crop choices tied to ritual and daily diets, and the sensory-symbolic roles of bitterness and taste in cultural pedagogy. These edible-plant practices serve as conduits for intergenerational knowledge transmission, reconnect people with ritual calendars, and provide psychosocial healing in the aftermath of displacement.
This study contributes to ethnobiological discussions on biocultural resilience and action ethnobiology, demonstrating how the revival of traditional crops regenerates ecological knowledge, cultural identity, and collective well-being. Ethnographically, it provides insight into how Indigenous agricultural practices embody both cultural continuity and innovation, offering practical pathways toward food sovereignty and sustainable futures.
Biography
Wei-Chi Chang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Cultural Resources at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. Her research explores traditional crop cultivation and community resilience among Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples. She also engages in Indigenous community revitalization practices and advises on food and agriculture education policies.
