Chiayi Cultural Troupe Showcases Indigenous Crafts and Tsou Culture at Poland's Taiwan Day

Invited by the Chinese Culture-Formative Association, Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang led a local cultural team yesterday to Poland's Lodz Manufaktura Cultural Plaza to participate in the local "Taiwan Day" event. Manufaktura, originally a multi-functional art and cultural space converted from an old factory, has in recent years become a symbol of urban regeneration and international artistic exchange in Poland. Centered on the "Top 100 Cultural Bases" theme, the Taiwan delegation brought Chiayi's traditional craftsmanship, rural lifestyle, and Alishan's Tsou indigenous culture to the European streets, allowing local residents to experience Taiwan's diverse cultural landscape up close.

"Taiwan Day" is a long-standing private-sector cultural festival celebrating cooperation between Poland and Taiwan. Initiated in 2015, the event aims to enhance the European public's understanding and goodwill toward Taiwan through exhibitions, lectures, and markets. Serving as a bridge for cultural exchange between the two countries, the Chinese Culture-Formative Association has organized such events for years. This year, it integrated the "Top 100 Cultural Bases" initiative promoted by the Ministry of Culture, selecting bases with local characteristics and innovative capacity to showcase their cultural assets on an international stage. This move not only affirms Chiayi County's efforts in local cultural preservation and innovation, but also highlights Taiwan's strategy of expanding its diplomatic space through soft power.

Within the exhibition area, Chiayi's woodcarving, bamboo weaving, and traditional indigo-dyeing crafts were displayed in wooden booths at the Polish market, where live handicraft demonstrations drew crowds of passersby. An even greater highlight was the presence of members of the Tsou tribe from Alishan, dressed in vibrant traditional attire to showcase tribal art centered on weaving and woodcarving. As one of Taiwan's indigenous peoples, the Tsou frequently incorporate traditional totems and nature worship into their works. Through explanations and interactive sessions, Polish audiences were given a glimpse into the deep foundation of this mountain forest culture. Such transnational presentations of indigenous culture hold significant symbolic meaning for elevating the international visibility of Taiwan's diverse ethnic groups.

Meanwhile, Chiayi's Beiguan parade troupe performed on the streets of Manufaktura, as the traditional sounds of drums, gongs, flutes, and sheng intertwined into an enthusiastic rhythm. Beiguan music originated from immigrants from Fujian and Chaoshan who settled in Taiwan, evolving over a century into a uniquely Taiwanese ritual music commonly featured at temple fairs and celebrations. On the day of the performance, in addition to local music enthusiasts, many Polish youths spontaneously gathered, swaying their bodies to the beat in a lively atmosphere. The improvisational interaction and street performance format of Beiguan allowed European audiences to experience the vitality and inclusivity of Taiwan's traditional music, while also providing opportunities for potential future cooperation.

This transnational cultural initiative by Chiayi County not only opens up new overseas markets for local rural and indigenous industries, but also adds a substantive case to Taiwan's cultural diplomacy in Europe. Polish media reports noted that Taiwan's diverse culture and creative industries are gradually becoming a focus of attention within European cultural circles, potentially deepening cooperation in tourism, hands-on craft experiences, and educational exchanges in the future. For Chiayi, through such an international stage, the achievements of local revitalization have gained broader audience recognition, while also providing a model for local youth to go international. Overall, this "Taiwan Day" was not merely an exhibition or performance, but a concrete anchoring of Taiwan's cultural soft power on European soil, laying a solid foundation for multi-layered exchanges between the two countries moving forward.