Fieldnote_0412_Naluwan_ANNABELLE

At the tribe, I talked to the same Ahmas (grandmas) again. This time, we got to see some photographs from the past. Two of the elderly did not manage to save their past in the form of photographs, as cameras were expensive, but they saved it in their memory. I could sense the nostalgia and fond memories through the way they spoke about their past, they had a smile on their face and spoke fondly about their old hometown in Taidong.

The polaroids and photographs were shared by Ivan's mom, and they were pictures that embodied a thousand words. Even though Ivan's mother came from Taidong, she wasn't actually willing to for the first 3 months. Both her children and herself really missed their hometown and did not originally stay in Naluwan. They actually stayed nearer to the XiangShan train station, while the current area that's called Naluwan used to be the sea. Their initial homes near XiangShan train station were not in good condition, and the roofs would leak. The toilets were far away from their home and were just buckets in the ground. They even had to pay rent, despite the poor conditions that they were living in. Eventually, when they moved to Naluwn, they built their own homes out of zinc-corrugated roofs and were happier to stay in their new home. 

One thing noticeable is that the large majority of the Amis tribe are Christians. Their place of worship, the church, brought a lot of comfort and benefits to them and that's why they really appreciate their religion. In order to help them tide through the rough times, the church would provide them with necessities (i.e. food and clothes). Many photos that Ivan's mother had were of the children and the families in the Church. Everyone looked so happy, and that made me wonder if the Church was one of the factors that helped them get used to their new home in the first few years. 

A memorable photo was one where many of the tribal members held a banner about “录根。。。” (which I can't really recall the entire name) where they went on a trip with the church, and many of the older generation staying in Naluwan brought their children back to their hometown in Taidong. This was essentially something that helped the adults reminisce about their past and allow the children to learn about their original roots as an Amis from Taidong. Looking at their photos was heart-warming, and I truly understand what they mean by having a tightly knitted community providing them with a sense of belonging. With such a notion of family and a sense of belonging, I can fully comprehend why the elders would miss their homes so dearly but yet be able to cope with their homesickness and stay in Naluwan. Having a large number of Amis people move to Naluwan together truly helps to strengthen their bonds and stay united. 

Another Ahma told me that she married her husband in HsinChu, then moved to Keelung as he had to work there. She then gave birth to her children in Keelung. However, Keelung rained often and it was dangerous for a fisherman. Hence, her family moved from Taidong to Keelung, then to Kaohsiung, and finally to Hsinchu. The move from place to place was really difficult, as she had to hold her kids' hands to ensure they do not run around while carrying 6 bags of necessities (i.e. Clothing). They had to minimize the amount of luggage they brought over since they did not have much space. 

Besides the photos, the Ahma shared with us more about the songs they usually sang together. She told me this line which I vaguely remember but I found it quite impactful, "唱的歌不但让我记住生命的过程，还让我把所有的经历保存在我脑海里，像个的照片。" I knew songs were touching, but I never truly realized the significance and comfort songs could bring to a person. Every song they have has a meaning to it, be it a hymn that helps them tide through the tough times, or a made-up song that they created on their own while looking after their cows. All of the lyrics have a hidden meaning, and I learned to not judge a song superficially without properly analyzing the meaning behind each verse.