Reflections from Taihaere, an indigenous studies programme in Taiwan
From participating in sacred ceremonies to forming life-long friendships, Sterling’s experience of Taiwan was full of highlights, challenges and reflection.
Asia
We had the pleasure of inviting Sterling Maxwell to share her experience of participating in Taihaere, an indigenous studies programme to Taiwan. This programme was a collaboration between Te Herenga Waka, National Pingtung University in Taiwan and University of Otago. The 6-week programme was funded by a group Prime Minister’s Scholarship and gave our Te Kawa a Māui students the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences with indigenous peoples in Taiwan. In this blog post, Sterling shares her reflections on her return to Aotearoa.
Why did you apply for Taihaere?
In 2023, a close friend of mine travelled to Chile with the last rōpū to travel on a Prime Ministers Scholarship from VUW. They came back raving about the people and the culture that they got to fully immerse themselves in for four weeks. When the opportunity came to travel to Taiwan and potentially have this experience myself, I knew I had to apply.
What were some of the highlights of your experience in Taiwan?
There were so many highlights during my time in Taiwan, it would take a whole book to cover them all! A few of the most memorable moments include:
One of the most special experiences was participating in a sacred Bunun ceremony. One of our kaiarahi, who currently studies at Te Herenga Waka, is from one of the tribes we visited. I had the privilege of joining in a ceremony that’s only held during special occasions. It was a true honor, and I’m deeply grateful that the Bunun people allowed me and my rōpū to be part of this important kaupapa.
Another unforgettable experience was visiting the original site of the Siaolin village of the Taivoan tribe. In August 2009, Typhoon Morakot devastated Taiwan, with this village being one of the hardest hit. The mountain above the village collapsed onto the original site, claiming hundreds of lives. Despite the tragedy, I consider this visit a significant highlight, as we were invited by the mana whenua to this sacred space to learn about their story and how they have stayed united as a village despite the hardships they have faced.
Situated around 90 km away from mainland Taiwan, we took one of the rockiest boat rides that I’ve ever been on (while half of the group were throwing up, the locals were absolute champs and could just chat away!) to this beautiful island, filled with beautiful people. It’s called Lanyu. As a person who grew up right beside the sea, it was incredibly unusual to me to not even get a glimpse of the moana during the weeks before our trip to this island, but I truly think the wait was worth it. The different shades of blue of the moana, paired with the gorgeous backdrop of humongous maunga made that ferry ride worth it.
The most important highlight for me, however, was our incredible translators—Panay, Ting-Yo, Kai, and Givee—who have now become lifelong friends. They were literal lifesavers (and I mean that in the most real way—I had to visit the doctor and hospital several times!). Not only did they translate across multiple languages, but they also stayed with us 24/7 without ever complaining. I am so incredibly grateful to have met them, and I truly hope that one day we’ll have the opportunity to give back to them and share with them our whenua and history.
What were some of the challenges you faced in Taiwan?
Constantly moving around. While six weeks seems like a long time, fitting in as much as we did and visiting as many places as we did can make those days fly by and sometimes required late nights and early mornings. (Tip - make sure to get in little naps whenever you can!)
Missing home - a lot can happen when you’re on life changing trips like these and I think they make you crave home a bit more. You sometimes miss out on important events back home and being on facetime doesn’t really cut it.
The squat toilets. I can’t elaborate.
What advice would you have for other students considering going overseas?
DO IT! Apply for those scholarships, save yourself a little bit of spending money and jump on the plane! This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and I would recommend for everyone to go on this sort of trip if they can.
Keep a record of what has happened/what you have learnt! While you can be overloaded with information at points, sit down at the end of the day and reflect on what you’ve learnt and what you’ve felt visiting these places. Future you will love looking back on those memories.
Be open to change. No matter where you travel in the world, something will be different to how you are used to it. It’s okay and sometimes it might even be better!
Stay in contact with your people back home! While I did just say facetime doesn’t always cut it - it’s a lot better than going cold-turkey and not talking to them. Whether you are having amazing days or even bad days, being able to call your people will help make you feel better.
Can't stress this one enough - make sure you have good travel/health insurance!
