Paiwan Young Woman Becomes a Leader Through Traditional Tattooing Rite
A young woman from Taiwan's Indigenous Paiwan community is ready to shoulder the burden of leadership, with patterns tattooed on her hands in a traditional ceremony.
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00:00Tap after tap, Luzum Kuzaza is enduring hours of pain as she takes part in an important
00:11ancient ritual.
00:13This is her kiva-chik ceremony, a rite of passage in her family and the Paiwan indigenous
00:18community.
00:41To get this tattoo, ink is hammered into the skin using a chisel and a striking stick.
00:46It's an ancient traditional application, and one that's far more painful than those
00:51performed with modern tattoo guns.
00:55But for Luzum Kuzaza, it's worth it.
00:57The tattoo will last a lifetime and taps into centuries of tradition.
01:02When it's done, it will earn her the right to lead her family in Taimali Village in southeastern
01:07Taiwan's Taitung County.
01:23This method is part of a sacred tradition for Taiwan's indigenous Paiwan community,
01:43where the intricate patterns are thought to connect people to their ancestors.
01:48For years, the tattoos were a cultural identifier for Taiwan's indigenous groups, and one that
01:53the Japanese worked to stamp out during colonial rule.
02:10Eighty years after Japan's departure, Tuji Patires is the last artist in Taiwan carrying
02:16on the tradition.
02:18He taught himself the technique by studying Paiwan culture and the methods used by indigenous
02:22Maori tattooists in New Zealand.
02:25Tuji Patires and Luzum Kuzaza's family talked for months.
02:29They dug deep into their past to decide what symbols and patterns to go with.
02:36Inspiration came from Luzum Kuzaza's grandmother, who died years ago, the last person in the
02:41family to receive the tattoos.
03:09Olav Luzum Kuzaza's family have gathered on this day, dressed in their traditional attire
03:13to witness her keep the tradition alive.
03:40For Luzum Kuzaza, becoming her family's next leader and taking part in this ancient tradition
03:47is about identity.
04:08Now imprinted with tattoos that will last a lifetime, Luzum Kuzaza is prepared to shoulder
04:13the responsibilities of leadership.
04:16When she takes the helm, she'll look the part while carrying on traditions that span generations
04:21and go much further than skin deep.