List of Indigenous peoples of Taiwan

Traditionally, the Taiwanese indigenous peoples are usually classified into two groups by their places of residence. Languages and cultures of aboriginal tribes were recorded by the government of Dutch Formosa, Spanish Formosa and the Qing Empire.

Name	Chinese	Hokkien	Hakka	Japanese (1935–1945)
Mountains indigenous peoples	高山族	Ko-soaⁿ-cho̍k	Kô-sân-chhu̍k	高砂族（たかさごぞく, Takasago-zoku）
Plains indigenous peoples	平埔族	Pêⁿ-po͘-cho̍k	Phìn-phû-chhu̍k	平埔族（へいほぞく, Heiho-zoku）

Families of Formosan languages before Chinese colonization, per Blust.^[1] Malayo-Polynesian (red) may lie within Eastern Formosan (purple). Note that the white section in the northwest of the country does not indicate a complete absence of aboriginal people from that part of Taiwan.

Young residents in the Bunun village of Lona, Taiwan dress up for the traditional Christmas holiday (not an official holiday in Taiwan).

Research on ethnic groups of Taiwanese indigenous peoples started in late 19th century, when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. The Government of Taiwan (臺灣總督府, Taiwan Sōtokufu) conducted large amount of research and further distinguished the ethnic groups of Taiwanese indigenous peoples by linguistics (see Formosan languages). After the research, the household registration records remarks of "mountains/plains indigenous peoples". The governmental statistics also listed 9 recognized subgroups under mountains indigenous peoples. However, after World War II, the government refused to recognize the plains indigenous peoples.

The following is a list of classifications through Japanese and post World War II. Note that the Japanese names in parentheses does not exist in pre-World War II Japanese demographic research.

Mountains indigenous peoples

The Taiwanese government officially recognises 16 ethnic groups of mountains indigenous peoples.

Name	Formosan native name	Chinese (after 1945)	Japanese (before 1945)	Notes
Amis	Pangcah, 'Amis	阿美族	アミ族、阿眉族	Recognized since Japanese era
Atayal	Tayal, Tayan	泰雅族	タイヤル族、大么族	Recognized since Japanese era
Bunun	Bunun	布農族	ブヌン族、ヴォヌム族、武崙族	Recognized since Japanese era
Kanakanavu	Kanakanavu	卡那卡那富族	カナカナブ族	Classified as Tsou, recognized since 2014
Kavalan	Kebalan, Kbaran	噶瑪蘭族、加禮宛族	カバラン族	Classified as Amis, recognized since 2002
Paiwan	Kacalisian	排灣族	パイワン族	Recognized since Japanese era
Puyuma	Pinuyumayan	卑南族、比努優瑪樣族	プユマ族、彪馬族	Recognized since Japanese era
Rukai	Drekay	魯凱族	ルカイ族、ツァリセン族	Recognized since Japanese era
Saaroa	Hla'alua	拉阿魯哇族	サアロア族、四社生蕃	Classified as Tsou, recognized since 2014
Saisiyat	Say-Siyat	賽夏族、獅設族	サイシャット族	Recognized since Japanese era
Sakizaya	Sakizaya	撒奇萊雅族、奇萊族	（サキザヤ族）	Classified as Amis, recognized since 2007
Seediq	Seediq	賽德克族	セデック族、紗績族	Classified as Atayal, recognized since 2008
Taroko	Truku	太魯閣族	（タロコ族）	Classified as Atayal, recognized since 2004
Thao	Thao, Ngan	邵族、水沙連族	サオ族	Classified as Tsou, recognized since 2001
Tsou	Cou	鄒族、曹族	ツォウ族、新高族	Recognized since Japanese era
Yami	Tao	達悟族、雅美族	ヤミ族	Recognized since Japanese era

Kavalan and Thao are disputed to be part of mountains or plains indigenous peoples.

Plains indigenous peoples

Cultures of the plains indigenous peoples have undergone heavy Sinicization. This increases the difficulty in identifying ethnic groups.

Name	Formosan native name	Chinese (after 1945)	Japanese (before 1945)	Notes
Arikun	Arikun	阿立昆族	アリクン族	Sometimes classified as Hoanya
Babuza	Babuza, Poavasa	貓霧拺族、巴布薩族	バブザ族
Basay	Basay, Basai	巴賽族、馬塞族	（バサイ族）	Sometimes classified as Ketagalan
Hoanya	Hoanya	洪雅族、和安雅族、荷安耶族	ホアニヤ族	Sometimes split into Lloa and Arikun
Kaxabu	Kaxabu, Kahapu	噶哈巫族	（カハブ族）	Sometimes classified as Pazeh. In revitalization.
Ketagalan	Ketagalan	凱達格蘭族	ケタガラン族
Kulon	Kulon	龜崙族	（クーロン族）
Lloa	Lloa	羅亞族、魯羅阿族	ロッア族	Sometimes classified Hoanya
Luilang	Luilang	雷朗族	ルイラン族	Sometimes classified as Ketagalan
Makatao	Makatao, Tao	馬卡道族	マカット族、タッオ族	Sometimes classified as Siraya. Recognized in Pingtung. In revitalization.
Papora	Papora, Vupuran	拍瀑拉族、巴布拉族、巴波拉族	パポラ族
Pazeh	Pazéh, Pazih	巴宰族、巴則海族、拍宰海族	パゼッヘ族	In revitalization.
Qauqaut	Qauqaut	猴猴族	(カウカット族)
Siraya	Siraya	西拉雅族、希萊耶族	シラヤ族	Recognized in Tainan and Fuli. In revitalization.
Taivoan	Taivoan, Taivuan	大武壠族、大滿族	（タイボアン族）	Sometimes classified as Siraya. Recognized in Fuli. In revitalization.
Taokas	Taokas	道卡斯族、斗葛族、大甲族	タオカス族	In revitalization.
Favorlang	Favorlang, Vavorolang	虎尾壟族、費佛朗族、華武壟族、法波蘭族、法佛朗族	ファボラン族
Trobiawan	Trobiawan, TuRbuan	哆囉美遠族、哆囉布安族	(トルビアワン族)	Sometimes classified as Ketagalan

References

1. Blust, Robert (1999). "Subgrouping, Circularity and Extinction: Some Issues in Austronesian Comparative Linguistics". In Zeitoun, Elizabeth; Li, Jen-kuei (eds.). Selected Papers from the Eighth International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics. Taipei: Academia Sinica. ISBN 9789576716324.

See also

• Taiwanese people
• Taiwanese indigenous peoples
• Demographics of Taiwan
• Culture of Taiwan
• Languages of Taiwan
• Formosan languages