Saisiyat Cultural Museum Introduction
The tranquil Xiangtian Lake, under the radiance of a sunny day, reflects the beautiful scenery of surrounding mountains and waters, creating a stunning view. During the winter and spring seasons, it is often enveloped in thick fog, which lends a different kind of hazy beauty. The Seediq Cultural Museum is located beside this picturesque lake. The Seediq people are one of the minority indigenous groups, with a population of approximately just 5,000, primarily residing in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County, and Nanzhuang and Shitan Townships in Miaoli County. They are divided into southern and northern Seediq groups, with Egg Mountain and Hengping Mountain as boundaries. Due to their small numbers, their cultural preservation is challenging, thus the Miaoli County government secured funding to establish the Seediq Cultural Museum by Xiangtian Lake to properly inherit Seediq artifacts. The first floor is planned as a culturally significant merchandise sales area, restaurant, and collection room. The restaurant faces Xiangtian Lake, and during its construction, the walls were replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows to allow visitors to enjoy the lake view while savoring their meals. On sunny days, patrons can also order a drink and relax at the outdoor café. The second floor features a service desk, thematic exhibition area, and multimedia presentation room, while the third floor has an outdoor square displaying a physical model of a Seediq house, allowing visitors to understand Seediq architectural craftsmanship through observation. There are also areas that introduce Seediq surnames and a reception room. The museum houses many items such as bamboo crafts, ramie textiles, indigenous creative arts, as well as fishing and farming tools used by the Seediq, along with explanations of Seediq rituals. It serves not only as a place for outsiders to learn about the Seediq culture but also carries the mission of preserving it. In the future, the museum plans to host various exhibitions on Seediq photography, crafts, and cuisine to enrich its content and elevate it to an internationally recognized cultural institution. Origin of the Festival of the Dwarfs: In the past, the black dwarfs, who were less than one meter tall, possessed various skills. They taught the Seediq people methods of farming and worshipping deities, providing them with stable livelihoods. Each year during the harvest season, the Seediq people would invite the black dwarfs into their village to celebrate their harvest, but eventually, the invited black dwarfs began to behave inappropriately towards Seediq women. During one of the Harvest Festivals, the Seediq people devised a trap that led to the deaths of the black dwarfs. Consequently, the agricultural yield declined from that year on. To comfort the deceased black dwarfs, the "Festival of the Dwarfs" was held in mid-October of the lunar calendar, which has since evolved from an annual to a biannual minor festival and a decennial major festival. 【Ticket Prices】 ● General ticket: NT$30 ● Group ticket (more than 20 people): NT$20 ● Discounted ticket (residents of the county): NT$10 ● Free admission: 1. Children under six years old. 2. Persons with disabilities holding a certificate and one necessary companion. 3. Individuals aged 65 and above. 4. Holders of low-income household certificates. 5. Indigenous residents registered in Miaoli County can enter for free in both the Seediq Cultural Museum and the Atayal Cultural Museum. 《Individuals purchasing discounted tickets or free admission must present valid proof.》
