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Amis Ceremonial Pottery

Tags: aborigine | Amis | pottery

These two vessels are examples of Amis ceremonial pottery. The making of this type of pottery is on the decline, and it is now a rare sight in Amis villages. Amis ceremonial pottery can be divided into two types, “dewas” and “tsiukan”. The former is more rough and used by males. The latter is more delicate and used by females. Dewas was traditionally used by Amis shamans during ceremonies and rites, most commonly those related to “maratau” (male deity). In the past, when an Amis boy reached the age of adulthood, his family would give him this type of small cup. It was used to splash liquor during ancestral worship rites. However, this custom was stopped during the Japanese occupation period (1895-1945). Amis women produced many types of pottery vessels. However, ceremonial pottery was completed first before pottery vessels for household use.

 

Department of Graphic Communications and Digital Publishing, Shih Hsin University Digital archiving project of the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines