This article is by Sunny Wu, translated by Susanne Ganz and edited by TC Lin and Sharon Tseng. Originally published by CommonWealth Magazine. Used with permission.
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Artist Yosifu Kacaw, a member of Taiwan’s indigenous Amis people, brings the vibrant colors of his hometown on Taiwan’s picturesque east coast to an international audience. His works make the plight of the island’s indigenous people known around the world and also draw attention to Taiwan. Living in Britain far away from home, Yosifu realizes the importance of his roots and cultural heritage, making it his life mission to speak out for his homeland and community.
The Yosef (Joseph) of the Old Testament, the son of Jacob and Rachel, does not give up in the face of misunderstandings, betrayal and loneliness, enduring all his trials with an optimistic attitude and confidence in God’s plan for his life. Eventually, he is not only rewarded by the Pharaoh with overseeing the lands of Egypt, but upon return to his homeland also saves his people from starvation.
The Amis artist, who hails from the village of Matailin in Hualian County, was named after the biblical Yosef. Yet he began to use his traditional, indigenous name Yosifu Kacaw (instead of the adopted Han name) only at the age of 41.
He explains, “The name Yosifu stems from the Joseph in the Bible who brought good fortune to his entire people. It means bringing abundance and turning defeat into victory. Kacaw means someone who guards his community against the enemy. I aspire to return to my own roots, to blossom everywhere and fulfill the expectations of my ancestors.”
Bringing the Vivid Colors of Home to an International Audience
In 2018, the paintings of Yosifu, who most of the year lives in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, appeared in the carriages of the New York subway, the Taoyuan International Airport MRT and the Taiwan Railway’s Puyuma Express. “I have three cars,” Kacaw remarks, tongue in cheek, with a broad smile.
Why the New York subway? Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry was looking for ways to promote Taiwan abroad by showcasing local artworks. Officials racked their brains as to what which scenic spots or cultural heritage reflected unique characteristics of Taiwan.
Following discussions, they settled on the idea of leasing three carriages and having them decorated with artworks representative of three ethnic groups in Taiwan – indigenous peoples, Hakka people and Minnan people. Yosifu was commissioned to create the indigenous art pieces.
Selected were three artworks featuring enthusiasm, joy and bright colors, using themes from everyday life in indigenous communities. The Sun Has Risen portrays a broadly smiling young indigenous woman, while Satisfied shows a man of the Tao people with three fish above his head, and Laugh You Two features two laughing girls.
Their colorful style is eye-catching. “The blue of the sky, the red of dragonfruit, his bold use of colors is inspired by nature…very seldom are the works of an artist so dramatic,” notes Lin Ting-fei, co-founder of the Lavender Cottage leisure farm.
The people portrayed in Yosifu’s paintings are all family or friends. “That’s why the paintings have feeling, warmth and authenticity. I don’t paint virtual stuff. See, they are not ugly either, and on top of that, there are no portrait rights involved,” says the artist.
Paintings as Weapons of Resistance
Yosifu does not just use bright colors to depict the sunny nature of indigenous people; he also paints to express the pent-up frustration and suffering over past suppression and ongoing discrimination in Taiwanese society.
His painting Can’t Speak, for instance, shows a woman wearing traditional Amis costume and headdress with her eyes closed and her right index finger pressed against her mouth in a gesture meaning “remain silent and don’t say a word.”
The piece alludes to the pain caused by the suppression of indigenous languages after World War II when the Chinese Nationalists (Kuomintang) forced the inhabitants of Taiwan to learn and use Mandarin instead of their respective mother tongues. The painting was selected as one of the top ten Asian artworks by the University of the Arts of London in 2010.
On the surface, Yosifu’s artworks catch the eye with stark, dramatic colors, but at a deeper level they are also full of sarcasm and resistance. Can’t Speak, which shows an Amis woman gesturing to remain silent, denounces past suppression when indigenous peoples were prohibited from using their respective mother tongues and forced to speak Mandarin instead. (Source: Yosifu)
At first sight, Fluorescence seems to be just a group of colorful tropical fish swimming in the sea. But a closer look reveals that their eyes are shaped abnormally and that some tails seem to be missing a part.
This painting hints at the fallout from the storage of radioactive waste on Orchid Island, an outlying island of Taiwan and the native land of the Tao people. Under its boldly colored surface, the painting conveys the painful emotions caused by the destruction of the ocean environment.
“Behind many of my works is a very deep sense of sarcasm. I use artworks as weapons of resistance,” says Yosifu.
Ripplemaker Foundation founder Chu Ping observes, “Yosifu has very strong aspirations; you can feel that he wants to do different things. I first saw his paintings, these dazzling colors, this dazzling energy. I only connected the dots later on when I learned that he is indigenous.”
Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim says Yosifu is an outstanding Hualian artist. “He is always making efforts to take indigenous art international, to let indigenous culture and lands create a link between localization and internationalization.”
“I feel that the contemporary artist’s responsibility is to use modern man’s way of comprehension to make the voice of the land heard, to speak up through aesthetic concepts,” says Yosifu.
“Artists use beautiful packaging. I, for instance, convey a topic through the main theme of Taiwan’s indigenous people, in the hope that everyone can get to know indigenous peoples.”
A Healing Voyage Creates an Upcoming International Artist
In Taiwan, Yosifu originally worked as a singer. However, due to a dispute over his contract, his singing career ended after just one album. “Taiwan was truly a painful place. No matter how hard I worked, it led nowhere. I returned to my village, but since I didn’t know how to work the land, I felt like the walking dead every day,” says Yosifu in describing these frustrating times.
In 2002, he bought a one-way ticket to Edinburgh, where he made a living working as barkeeper, delivery man, painting worker and taking odd jobs.
Having too much time on his hands, he began to paint in his room to dispel his boredom. He used to open his door and windows to prevent breathing in the paint fumes. One day his landlord happened to walk by and noticed Yosifu’s paintings. He took one and hung it up in his living room, where it caught the eye of the curator of the Edinburgh Art Festival, an annual visual art festival held in August. The curator invited Yosifu to exhibit there. That’s how Yosifu came to sell his first-ever artwork, Kiss You Every Day, at the Edinburgh Art Festival for 70 pound sterling.
Lin points out, “Originally he went to heal, but he then became a regular at international art awards. He became famous abroad before becoming a celebrity back home in Taiwan.”
The difficulties Han people face living abroad are comparable to the hardships indigenous people face at home in Taiwan.
As far as Yosifu is concerned, the hardships in Europe and the United States stem from real life. What if one does not have a special skill? But, not mincing words, Yosifu notes that being classified as member of an indigenous people in Taiwan is like having a permanent label that can’t be torn off.
“I am a wild child who looks for medicinal herbs by himself and licks his wounds when he stumbles and falls. I am not afraid of getting hurt; I don’t fear suffering,” says Yosifu. Yet due to the color of his skin, the artist often had to take an unnecessarily long path.
“Generally, the children in the indigenous villages lack self confidence. I grew up in an oppressive environment. Even now, many people have insufficient understanding as to what diverse ethnicities means, what is called “fan” (a Chinese word for Taiwan’s indigenous peoples meaning barbarian). Uncivilized is what fan means,” says Yosifu.
Looking back at his past trials, Yosifu notes: “Ordinary people cannot understand the hardships drifters go through,” fighting back tears.
Chu Ping posits that “Indigenous people did not receive any attention in the past; their entire process of growing up was overshadowed. Yosifu went abroad by a lucky coincidence and he returned creating many more possibilities.”
“Do you know how prized my skin color is abroad, how sexy it is? They know that I am an indigenous Taiwanese, yet they look at me with a sense of curiosity toward my culture. This makes me feel respected,” says Yosifu. Edinburgh gave him an opportunity to heal and be reborn.
Having gained success and recognition, Yosifu, however, did not forget his hometown. Although the artist resides in Edinburgh, he returns to Taiwan every three months on average. “My mentor Chu Ping told me, while you are living a nomad life, don’t forget to bring home some nutrients; you must ask yourself, what can I do for the village?”
Giving Back, Creating a Vision for the Community
Yosifu went to bring the people of Matailin, a community of only 30 households, closer together. His idea was that each family could highlight its history and tradition by putting up the family crest and serve as a host family. In the Amis culture, family crests protect the family, and they can also be installation art. Subsequently, Yosifu directed the young people in the village in creating a Matailin Arts Boulevard.
He hopes to create business opportunities. A small plot of land in front of his family home has meanwhile become an outdoor farmer’s market. The villagers come here to sell surplus vegetables and fruits, keeping the proceeds. Children are trained to serve as volunteer guides, introducing visitors to the local culture. “And then there is the ‘art makes village’ three-year plan. I brought nutrients from the world back home for mutual enrichment,” says Yosifu cheerfully.
Today, Yosifu’s artworks adorn the walls of local bed-and-breakfasts in Hualian and Taitung such as the Adagio in Shidiping and Yuyoi House in Changbin. His bright, vivid artworks draw the attention of international travelers, putting Taiwan on the international arts map, and also demonstrate the artistic talent of the island’s indigenous peoples to domestic tourists.
Chu Ping hopes that Yosifu will be able to focus more on doing those things that remain challenging for indigenous people and on figuring out how the world can be brought to Taiwan and the indigenous villages.
The Lavender Cottage’s Lin points out that Yosifu frequently returns to the elementary school in his village to interact with the children there and boost their self-confidence. “He doesn’t use an adult perspective, but looks at things with the eyes of a child. He encourages the kids to share their creations and gain a sense of achievement from the creative process. He actively employs indigenous topics, hoping that indigenous people can escape further stigma.”
“Some people need company when they do something, but Yosifu often comes up with an idea by himself and then runs with it, doing his best to help others,” says Lin.
“We might have spent just a single day doing boisterous activities, but we have very likely created ripples in the hearts of these children that will inspire them to take a different path.”
Healing the Scars to Build a Future
“Taiwan used to underestimate its own advantages, always believing that the moon is rounder overseas. However, as it becomes more localized and more international, I am coming into my own instead of emulating others,” says Yosifu, whose mind is always on his hometown. He gets very excited as he talks about his next project.
Yosifu encourages the younger generation to cultivate a sense of beauty. He tells them that accepting oneself will create self-confidence, that it is important to have a worldview (Weltanschauung), to understand diversity and to learn to respect others.
He also urges parents, “Don’t delay your children’s ability to be independent; there is no need to worry, since kids return by themselves when they are hungry. If you overprotect them, they will join the strawberry or NEET generation.”
Yosifu says, “Traveling is the best way to nurture a sense of beauty. Nature holds many aesthetic secrets. Different cultural environments, different light and colors are all source material for studies. Self-confidence is something you give yourself. Stand in front of a mirror very often and tell yourself that you are great, and then you will be infected with joy and confidence. As for your worldview, you will understand that if you step out into the world. Experiencing things first-hand is better than talking about them, because they will inscribe deeper into your genes.
Toward the end of the interview, Yosifu sincerely implores the reporter, “Please make sure to convey these creative ideas to society.” He continues emphatically, saying, “Taiwan wastes too much time on ideological squabbles. We can’t participate in past history; only if the scars are slowly healed can there be a future.”
In the Amis culture, a name is usually a blessing from the ancestors. True to his name, Yosifu understands his innate mission, bravely speaking up for this homeland and his village. And, in walking his talk, Yosifu makes his village and Taiwan all the richer for it.
Have you read?
♦ Indigenous Singer Jia Jia: Working Hard at Being Herself
♦ Taiwan Indigenous Communities Call for Young People’s Return
♦ Indigenous Culture, not Food, is Taiwan’s Top Tourist Attraction
(Feature photo from Yosifu)
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