The Tsou people of Alishan talk about their families’ suffering during the 228 Massacre and White Terror period.

By Yang Pi-chuan (楊碧川)

Photography by Pan Hsiao-hsia (潘小俠)

Translation by Harrison Chen and Aaron Wytze Wilson

This piece originally appeared in The Reporter and is translated with permission of the writer and publisher.

On February 28 1947, the clashes between soldiers and civilians in Taipei soon spread to every corner of Taiwan. In the City of Chiayi, fighting between the Chinese Nationalist (KMT) military police units and local Taiwanese militias had left the city in anarchy.

The militias tried to regain order, and sought the help of the indigenous Tsou people to patrol the streets. Lu Bin-chin (盧鈵欽), a dentist and secretary for the local chapter of the Three Principles Youth Group, called up Wufeng Township head Uyongu Yata’uyungana (高一生) to ask for assistance.

Yapasuyongʉ Yulunana (湯守仁), a teacher and former Japanese soldier, supported Lu’s idea, but Yata’uyungana was worried about getting involved with the local militias. He eventually relented, and dispatched thirty Tsou youths to cover the city's neighbourhood watch.

On March the 7th, another thirty Tsou youths joined the Chiayi Militias in their attack on the Hongmaopi armoury to plug the militias lagging ammo and arms supplies. Their subsequent campaign to capture Tsui-siong Airport (水上機場) was unsuccessful, and The Tsou returned to Alishan by dark on March 16th.

Yata’uyungana and Yulunana were arrested for their role in the campaign, but were released through the lobbying efforts of Losing Watan (樂信·瓦旦) — a prominent Atayal leader who vowed not to take part in the 228 uprisings — and Tainan County commissioner Yuen Kuo-chin (袁國欽). Yata’uyungana and Yulunana promised to "turn over a new leaf" (自新) and were released.

In 1952, Yata’uyungana, Yulunana and Losing were arrested for supporting the establishment of a "Highland Aborigines Autonomous County", and for their supposed connections to the Chinese Communist Party's Taiwan Province Working Group.

Other members of the Tsou tribe and Atayal tribe were also arrested:

Loyeh village chief Tibusungu’ Muknana (武義德), Dabang village water and sanitation head Voyʉe Toskʉ (杜孝生), and Loyeh village school teacher Wu Yi-heng (武義享) were sentenced to prison terms of 10 years to life imprisonment.

Dabang (達邦) village chief Fang I-chong (方義仲) was arrested alongside Yata’uyungana and Yulunana, and sentenced to death.

Alishan police inspector Mo`e Peyongsi (汪清山), who spoke fluent Japanese and was assigned to help foreigners in trouble, was sentenced to death.

Behui Tali (高澤照), an Atayal police inspector from Taoyuan County, Daxi Township was sentenced to death.

Uyongu Yata’uyungana, Yapasuyongʉ Yulunana, Losing Watan, Fang I-chong, Mo`e Peyongsi and Behui Tali were executed by firing squad on April 17, 1954. In one fell swoop, Taiwan lost its most talented indigenous leaders in a generation.

Alishan