Taiwan Austronesians

Matt Splatt · 14th October 2007, 08:55 AM

Thanks for sharing the pictures. That's wild armour, never seen anything like it.

yuanzhumin · 14th October 2007, 03:51 PM

Many thanks.
The Yami people, also called Tawu, live in Lanyu, a small island located around 40km south east of Taiwan. The island is also known under the name Orchid Island or also its old name, Botel Tobago.
For the one interested, I copied here after a link to the excellent article of Inez de Beauclair about the weapons and fighting traditions of the Yami.

http://www.sinica.edu.tw/~dlproj/article/ET-t/ET22.html

yuanzhumin · 14th October 2007, 03:53 PM

Many thanks.
The Yami people, also called Tawu, live in Lanyu, a small island located around 40km south east of Taiwan. The island is also known under the name Orchid Island or also its old name, Botel Tobago.
For the one interested, I copied here after a link to the excellent article of Inez de Beauclair about the weapons and fighting traditions of the Yami.

http://www.sinica.edu.tw/~dlproj/article/ET-t/ET22.html

yuanzhumin
www.formosatribal.com

VANDOO · 15th October 2007, 05:14 AM

THANKS FOR THE VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE IT COVERED A LOT OF MY INTRESTS AS WELL AS GOOD INFORMATION ON THE YAMI TRIBAL GROUP. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY PICTURES OF THE WAR CLUBS AND THE ARMORED HATS. I AM ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN OCEANIC CLUBS BUT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE TYPES USED ON TAIWAN AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
I HAVE ADDED A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF TRIGGERFISH THE LARGE ONE IS THE TITAN AND THE SMALLER ONE IS A ORANGE LINED TRIGGER. SOME TRIGGERFISH CAN BE VERY AGGRESIVE AND WILL EVEN ATTACK DIVERS THE TITAN IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO ITS SIZE, BITE AND ATTITUDE, ESPECIALLY WHEN NESTING.

yuanzhumin · 16th October 2007, 02:52 AM

Thanks Vandoo for the name and photos of the fish. Yes, it seems that the triggerfish skin has been used in this armour. It’s a very interesting info.
Here are some pictures that can help answer your questions concerning the clubs and the helmets of the Yami. These are pictures I’ve taken of drawings and photos published in ‘The Yami of the Orchid Island’ by Hans Egli, and in the Inez de Beauclair book.
The 3 first ones are drawings of the very special Yami fighting club and long wooden sword, both few meters long.
The 2 following ones show the use of the club in a simulated situation, while the three photos after show a shield. On all this pics, you can also see body armours and helmets similar to the one I already displayed in this thread or previous threads on the forum (also on my website).
The next picture is showing a map of Lanyu and its location away from Taiwan. The last drawing is showing a traditional dagger sheath like the ones I also displayed in the pics published before on the forum.
The last few photos are of Yami men 40 years ago, in traditional attires. I love the one of this man wearing the silver helmet and a pectoral adorned with dolls and other lucky charms.
Note the rattan armours and helmets, the spears and the knives similar to the one in the post above.
I’m myself trying to get a hand on a club to put it in my collection. If I do, I will show it to you first.
Any comments or reactions are welcome.
Yuanzhumin
www.formosatribal.com

yuanzhumin · 16th October 2007, 02:56 AM

Here are the other pictures :

yuanzhumin · 16th October 2007, 02:58 AM

Some of the last pictures are not in the right place and don't follow anymore my comments. I think you will be able correct by yourselves without any problem.

VANDOO · 16th October 2007, 05:04 PM

THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS OF THE CLUBS AND FULL ARMOR,THE SHIELDS ARE VERY CRUDE AND LOOK LIKE PART OF A FENCE BUT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE COVER. I WOULD CONSIDER THE LONGER CLUBS A TYPE OF POLE ARM OR SPEAR THE CROSS GAURD WOULD INDICATE THAT THEY DID FENCE WITH THEM AS IT IS THERE TO PROTECT THE OPPONENTS WEAPON FROM SLIDEING DOWN THE SHAFT TO STRIKE THE HANDS. PERHAPS THE PICTURES SHOWN WITH THE MAN WITH SHIELD AND THE OTHER WITH NO SHIELD AND THE LONG CLUB IS THE FORM USED FOR CEREMONIAL COMBAT?. WHERE THE AGRESSOR AND HIS ROCK THROWERS GET SEVERAL WHACKS AT THE ONE WITH THE SHIELD AND THEN THEY GIVE THE OTHER SIDE A TURN WITH THE CLUB? THEY PROBABLY ALSO FOUGHT WITH NO SHIELD WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FUN TO WATCH AS THERE WOULD BE A LOT MORE MOVEMENT ESPECIALLY IF STONES WERE ALSO BEING THROWN. THE METAL HATS LOOK REALY COOL AND SCARY BUT WOULD BE A BIT NOISY IN THERE IF STRUCK WITH A CLUB OR ROCK.

IT IS INTERESTING THE SIMULARITYS IN THIS TYPE OF COMBAT WHICH ALSO OCCURS IN THE GILBERT ISLANDS. THE TWO WARRIORS FACE OFF AND ARE HEAVILY PROTECTED WITH ARMOR EACH SIDE HAS PEOPLE THERE THROWING ROCKS AT THE OTHER SIDE. I SUSPECT THERE WERE FEW FATALITYS DUE TO THE ARMOR AND THE SHARKTOOTH SWORD CLUBS USED, PERHAPS IT ENDED WHEN BLOOD WAS DRAWN? SEE PICTURE OF GILBERT IS. WARRIOR, NOTE THE HIGH COLLAR TO PROTECT THE WARRIOR FROM ACCIDENTLY BEING STRUCK IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD BY A ROCK FROM HIS OWN SIDE.. GOOD LUCK ON AQUIREING A CLUB.

14th October 2007, 03:51 PM	#2
yuanzhumin Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ex-Taipei, Taiwan, now in Shanghai, China Posts: 180	The Yami people and their weapons Many thanks. The Yami people, also called Tawu, live in Lanyu, a small island located around 40km south east of Taiwan. The island is also known under the name Orchid Island or also its old name, Botel Tobago. For the one interested, I copied here after a link to the excellent article of Inez de Beauclair about the weapons and fighting traditions of the Yami. http://www.sinica.edu.tw/~dlproj/article/ET-t/ET22.html

14th October 2007, 03:53 PM	#3
yuanzhumin Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ex-Taipei, Taiwan, now in Shanghai, China Posts: 180	The Yami people and their weapons Many thanks. The Yami people, also called Tawu, live in Lanyu, a small island located around 40km south east of Taiwan. The island is also known under the name Orchid Island or also its old name, Botel Tobago. For the one interested, I copied here after a link to the excellent article of Inez de Beauclair about the weapons and fighting traditions of the Yami. http://www.sinica.edu.tw/~dlproj/article/ET-t/ET22.html yuanzhumin www.formosatribal.com

15th October 2007, 05:14 AM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THANKS FOR THE VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE IT COVERED A LOT OF MY INTRESTS AS WELL AS GOOD INFORMATION ON THE YAMI TRIBAL GROUP. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY PICTURES OF THE WAR CLUBS AND THE ARMORED HATS. I AM ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN OCEANIC CLUBS BUT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE TYPES USED ON TAIWAN AND SURROUNDING AREAS. I HAVE ADDED A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF TRIGGERFISH THE LARGE ONE IS THE TITAN AND THE SMALLER ONE IS A ORANGE LINED TRIGGER. SOME TRIGGERFISH CAN BE VERY AGGRESIVE AND WILL EVEN ATTACK DIVERS THE TITAN IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO ITS SIZE, BITE AND ATTITUDE, ESPECIALLY WHEN NESTING. Attached Images

16th October 2007, 02:52 AM	#5
yuanzhumin Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ex-Taipei, Taiwan, now in Shanghai, China Posts: 180	Thanks Vandoo for the name and photos of the fish. Yes, it seems that the triggerfish skin has been used in this armour. It’s a very interesting info. Here are some pictures that can help answer your questions concerning the clubs and the helmets of the Yami. These are pictures I’ve taken of drawings and photos published in ‘The Yami of the Orchid Island’ by Hans Egli, and in the Inez de Beauclair book. The 3 first ones are drawings of the very special Yami fighting club and long wooden sword, both few meters long. The 2 following ones show the use of the club in a simulated situation, while the three photos after show a shield. On all this pics, you can also see body armours and helmets similar to the one I already displayed in this thread or previous threads on the forum (also on my website). The next picture is showing a map of Lanyu and its location away from Taiwan. The last drawing is showing a traditional dagger sheath like the ones I also displayed in the pics published before on the forum. The last few photos are of Yami men 40 years ago, in traditional attires. I love the one of this man wearing the silver helmet and a pectoral adorned with dolls and other lucky charms. Note the rattan armours and helmets, the spears and the knives similar to the one in the post above. I’m myself trying to get a hand on a club to put it in my collection. If I do, I will show it to you first. Any comments or reactions are welcome. Yuanzhumin www.formosatribal.com Attached Images

16th October 2007, 02:56 AM	#6
yuanzhumin Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ex-Taipei, Taiwan, now in Shanghai, China Posts: 180	Here are the other pictures : Attached Images

14th October 2007, 08:55 AM	#1
Matt Splatt Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 31	Thanks for sharing the pictures. That's wild armour, never seen anything like it.

16th October 2007, 02:58 AM	#7
yuanzhumin Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ex-Taipei, Taiwan, now in Shanghai, China Posts: 180	Some of the last pictures are not in the right place and don't follow anymore my comments. I think you will be able correct by yourselves without any problem.

16th October 2007, 05:04 PM	#8
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS OF THE CLUBS AND FULL ARMOR,THE SHIELDS ARE VERY CRUDE AND LOOK LIKE PART OF A FENCE BUT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE COVER. I WOULD CONSIDER THE LONGER CLUBS A TYPE OF POLE ARM OR SPEAR THE CROSS GAURD WOULD INDICATE THAT THEY DID FENCE WITH THEM AS IT IS THERE TO PROTECT THE OPPONENTS WEAPON FROM SLIDEING DOWN THE SHAFT TO STRIKE THE HANDS. PERHAPS THE PICTURES SHOWN WITH THE MAN WITH SHIELD AND THE OTHER WITH NO SHIELD AND THE LONG CLUB IS THE FORM USED FOR CEREMONIAL COMBAT?. WHERE THE AGRESSOR AND HIS ROCK THROWERS GET SEVERAL WHACKS AT THE ONE WITH THE SHIELD AND THEN THEY GIVE THE OTHER SIDE A TURN WITH THE CLUB? THEY PROBABLY ALSO FOUGHT WITH NO SHIELD WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FUN TO WATCH AS THERE WOULD BE A LOT MORE MOVEMENT ESPECIALLY IF STONES WERE ALSO BEING THROWN. THE METAL HATS LOOK REALY COOL AND SCARY BUT WOULD BE A BIT NOISY IN THERE IF STRUCK WITH A CLUB OR ROCK. IT IS INTERESTING THE SIMULARITYS IN THIS TYPE OF COMBAT WHICH ALSO OCCURS IN THE GILBERT ISLANDS. THE TWO WARRIORS FACE OFF AND ARE HEAVILY PROTECTED WITH ARMOR EACH SIDE HAS PEOPLE THERE THROWING ROCKS AT THE OTHER SIDE. I SUSPECT THERE WERE FEW FATALITYS DUE TO THE ARMOR AND THE SHARKTOOTH SWORD CLUBS USED, PERHAPS IT ENDED WHEN BLOOD WAS DRAWN? SEE PICTURE OF GILBERT IS. WARRIOR, NOTE THE HIGH COLLAR TO PROTECT THE WARRIOR FROM ACCIDENTLY BEING STRUCK IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD BY A ROCK FROM HIS OWN SIDE.. GOOD LUCK ON AQUIREING A CLUB. Attached Images