indigenous languages in Taiwan

Atayal Digital Language Activist Tapas Katu: “Using Indigenous Languages is Completely Normal”

The following interview was originally posted on Global Voices ahead of the panel, “Digital Initiatives for Indigenous Languages of Taiwan,” which was held on June 28, 2025 at DAYBREAK. This event is the first time Rising Voices, in collaboration with New Bloom and the Indigenous Youth Front, organized an event in Taiwan to bring together local Indigenous language digital activists to learn from and connect with each other. The idea was to facilitate the exchange of learned experiences and innovative ideas among these language activists, inspiring more possibilities for their language work. In this interview, Tapas Katu, an Atayal speaker from Nantou, shared how she learned the Atayal language and leveraged the power of digital tools to aid her learning...

Taiwan’s 2030 Bilingual Nation Policy Is Well Intended, but Reflects Cultural Colonialism

On November 23rd, the Ministry of Education in Taiwan held the inaugural consultation meeting for the “2030 Bilingual Nation” policy, initiating what has been part of the DPP’s stated policy platform since Lai’s premiership in 2018. This process has reignited discussion over the role of English in Taiwanese society, and whether Taiwan should become a “bilingual” country...