A Paiwan chieftain and his family of the Timur Group

NCL Special Collection / 4575 / Printed in Japan / About 1930s / 《Faces of the Century (Part I)》

his photo was taken by Mori Ushinosuke in June, 1905. He described the outfit of the chieftain. His hat, made of pelt and decorated with seal’s teeth, shells, and peasant tail feathers, is a formal headpiece of the tribe. The hat is not only a symbol of a warrior but is also the headpiece of the chieftain. His upper garment features elaborately embroidered patterns and a sewed-on silver cross belt, with a square piece of cloth serving as a shawl. This is the formal suit of the tribe. The hut on the right side of the photo is a barn, and the slate house on the left is their home. The Timur Group is now located in the Sandimen Township of Pingtung County.