The Thao people were original thought to be an offshoot of the Tsou people at Alishan. However, in 2001 the government reclassified them as an independent indigenous tribe. They are the smallest and most Sinicized aboriginal tribe in Taiwan. They are primarily concentrated in the Dehuashe area of Sun Moon Lake.
The most unique thing about Thao culture is their Pestle Song, which is a song and dance that sprung from pounding millet. The women used wooden pestles of different lengths to strike a stone mortar, which produces sounds of varying pitch. These sounds are called “pestle sounds.” The Thao people then raise their voices in song to harmonize with the sounds. This pestle song has been heard around Sun Moon Lake’s shores for quite some time.
The Pestle Song of the Thao Women
- NCL Special Collection / Chen Bo-xin / Japanese Colonial Period (1895-1945) / 15.3×11cm / 《Visual Feast》