Taiwanese Indigenous Culture Hall Introduction
The Ketagalan Culture Center records the historical context related to the Pingpu people, as well as contemporary indigenous arts and cultural artifacts. Besides hot springs, Beitou offers a unique indigenous atmosphere. The name "Beitou" is derived from the Ketagalan language, meaning "witch." Over four hundred years ago, it was a living area for the Ketagalan people. To preserve and promote indigenous cultural arts, the Ketagalan Culture Center was newly established in November 2002 by the Indigenous Peoples Commission of the Taipei City Government, with the entire building designed to showcase indigenous cultural arts, providing urban indigenous people with a dedicated space for cultural inheritance and skill learning. Before entering the culture center, a row of wooden stakes stands along the roadside, decorated with various expressions of tin sculptures, symbolizing unity with a hand-holding gesture, indicating that we are all one family through indigenous artistic creation. Each floor of the center is thematically designed to display the historical and cultural context of the indigenous peoples through engaging guided pathways, making it a recreational spot for close interaction with indigenous culture. The main building, standing ten stories high, features a façade of distinctly layered slate materials, resembling a house that breathes. Its strong, minimalist design complements the surrounding hot spring hotels and Beitou Hot Spring Park. The bright and spacious first-floor lobby, with its vibrant tribal woven pattern tiles, invites visitors into the embrace of the village. Captivating stone carvings with historical flavor and prominently styled wooden sculptures adorn the space, while various hunting tools hang on the walls, allowing visitors to imagine the traditional life of indigenous peoples hunting water deer and wild boars. Every scene and object within the culture center reflects the traces of indigenous life! From the first to the third floors, in addition to displaying indigenous artifacts and important collections from the Pingpu people, the center’s public spaces also serve as venues for performances, events, gatherings, and skill training, becoming a community bonding space for urban indigenous peoples. The center also provides library services with indigenous-themed resources, fostering visitors' appreciation and understanding of indigenous culture and arts, inspiring children to explore and learn about diverse ethnic groups. Taiwan's towering mountains and vast plains have nurtured a diverse culture of multiple indigenous peoples. The Ketagalan Culture Center preserves rituals, festivals, and customs related to nature worship, allowing visitors to learn about the earliest inhabitants of Taiwan, the indigenous peoples, and discover many impressive ancestral wisdoms that exist in this land. If you're lucky, you might even encounter traditional tribal groups in the culture center meeting or performing, showcasing their sincere and passionate side. Since its opening, the Ketagalan Culture Center has hosted many series of indigenous cultural events and traditional craft exhibitions, showcasing works from numerous indigenous artists, blending the origins with urban life, tradition with modernity, and fulfilling the important meaning of the culture center. Taiwan's diverse ethnic groups have developed a rich cultural spectrum, and the culture center is not only a treasure trove for the culture of indigenous peoples but also a multifunctional training center for indigenous cultural arts. Located in the New Beitou Hot Spring Area, after experiencing rich culture and arts, you might want to stroll through the misty hot spring town and continue to trace the footsteps of the Ketagalan people!
