CENTRAL BANK OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA（TAIWAN）

Tai Yang Fa No.0970051655
Date: November 18, 2008
Subject:

The Central Bank of the Republic of China（Taiwan ） will issue the 11th coin set of the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Series–KAVALAN on November 20, 2008. Each set consists of a NT$20 proof coin in circulation as well as a commemorative proof medal bearing traditional Kavalan motifs.

Authority:
The authority is based on the Regulations Governing the Issue of New Taiwan Currency by the Central Bank of the Republic of China（Taiwan）.

Description
Kavalan is the ancient name of Yilan. The Kavalan aboriginals are known to be the earliest indigenous group to inhabit the Lanyang Plain.
The Kavalan lived from farming, fishing and hunting, with the women responsible for farming and the males in charge of fishing and hunting. The tribe lived in bamboo houses with thatched roofs and the production of wine, salt and woven cloth was part of their self-sufficient way of life.
The Kavalan have preserved their traditional language, customs, ceremonies and festivals over the years. In more recent times, the tribe has also been reviving traditional songs and dance, the Harvest Festival, banana silk weaving techniques and other unique cultural traditions. The Kavalan have also erected tribal totems, the centerpiece of which is the tribe's ancestral tree—the Formosan nato tree (Palaquium formosanum).
In the 1990s, the Kavalan launched a campaign to revive the tribe's traditional culture. This movement not only has fostered greater tribal awareness, but also has restored the rich and distinctive traditions of the Kavalan people.