服務故事

With limited opportunities in the Hualien-Taitung region, youths migrate to Taiwan's west coast to find an alternative way to sustain their livelihood. In recent years, youths have returned, bringing diverse talents home. This cover features the story of three young artists.

Lafin Lafin, an Amis who spent much of his childhood and work life in Taipei, remembers the summer and winter holidays at his native village in Changbin, Taitung, catching fish and climbing areca palms. When he felt lonely, these memories returned to him like a calling. Feeling uninspired in his profession, Lafin decided to move back to Taitung to the beautiful scene of the Pacific Ocean. He followed village elders to catch fish and put into practice village traditions. He shadowed three native artists, learning wood carving and furniture making, where he discovered a new direction and passion in life.

Lafin specialized in contemporary Taiwan aboriginal woodwork, and together with his wife, Heidi, they established an artist studio. With growing recognition, Lafin was invited to exhibit his works in Korea. The exhibition titled Face displayed faceless, genderless faces – his imagination where all are equal. The door of Chishang's gallery, another creation of Lafin, demonstrates his artistic style. The Pacific Ocean waves inspired the work, and rice – a main staple of his people, depicting subtle elements of Hualien-Taitung and his native culture rather than clear traditional native patterns and emblems.

Lafin's work often pays tribute to the environment and gives a voice to environmental issues. His work named Black Hair Bridge is a villager with darkened wet hair, inspired by a Kararuan villager's standard practice of washing dust off their bodies at the riverbank before their return home. It also faces the Dulan Mountain, a mountain worshiped by the Amis. Through time, the driftwood piece will eventually deteriorate and return to nature. Many youths hesitate before moving back to Hualien-Taitung due to a lack of opportunity, but Lafin believes that if one has the will, one will find a way. Today, Lafin's works are collected globally.

Heidi Yip, A painter born in Hong Kong and raised in Canada, studied in Florence and worked in New York before moving to Taitung, Heidi. When she was young, she enjoyed the works of Taiwanese film directors Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Edward Yang, which brought her to visit the island where many scenes were filmed. She was particularly drawn to Taitung in her visits even before meeting her husband, Lafin. While in Taitung, she would follow the native women to gather seaweeds and shellfish, learning to observe when to harvest them from the tide. Through the experience, she knew that nature gives us the answer when we look for them.

In the 1960s and 1970s, many would travel to the Taitung mountains to search for Sapphire; she created the “Ore Series” to inspire it. Heidi's painting style while she was in New York was abstract; most of her works today relate to nature showing the colours of Taitung, its tropical warmth and humidity.

In their effort to preserve tradition, Heidi and Lafin's child attends Amis school. They hope their child can learn about the world using the Amis language.

​Sumi Dongi After years of working in Taipei in a café, in insurance, and in retail, Sumi Dongi returned home to the Makotaay Village in search of healing from her failed relationship and career. She found a new appreciation for her home and the courage and understanding that the sky is the limit.

Through hard work, she discovered her strengths. She revived an abandoned rice patty field in hopes of preserving the land for her people and preventing it from being sold. In reviving the field, villagers were able to protect the land, its beautiful landscape, animals, and plants and make a living from its crops.

Contrary to her experience in Taipei, she felt that anything she pursued in Taitung became a success. She realized her artistry talents when she discovered the umbrella sedge—a waivable grass harvested every July and August. Villagers often wove bed and chair mats to keep cool in the summers; some would even drape it over their backs. Sumi takes the material and weaves it into delicate handicrafts, lamps, and curtains. Her works are globally appreciated and featured on the international Kamaro'an platform.

Between August and March, Sumi also organizes the Mipaliw Land Art, an Artist-in-Residence program. During this period, artists worldwide are invited to live and create art in the village for one month at a time.

Sumi has never called herself an artist. She feels that art is a part of her life and that she is constantly present in it.