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Taiwan is a potpourri of various cultures. The Taiwanese culture is essentially
a rich blend that has evolved out of various cultural influences.
The aboriginal culture of Taiwan of Taiwan was marked by certain spiritual
and totemic rituals like snake worship. Taiwanese culture originally thrived
in 11 different forms as followed by the 11 indigenous groups. The different
aboriginal tribes like the Saisiyat, the Atayal, the Amis, the Bunun, or the
Puyuma followed the strange traditions of the land, though most of the traditions
had been considerably altered later with foreign influences.
The culture of Taiwan, as it exists today, was born out of interactions with
diverse ethnic communities. Taiwan had come into interactions with American,
Spanish and Dutch culture, which gave the traditional Chinese culture a different
edge. In fact, colonial influences are still evident in different parts of Taiwan.
East Asian influences of the southern Fijians, the Hakka immigrants, the Japanese,
etc also added to mold the authentic culture into a new and richer one. Over
the years, Taiwan had adapted to the reshaped culture, which retains certain
facets of the aboriginal traditions and incorporates the foreign influences
as well.
The richness of Taiwan's culture is prominent in its various art forms like
woodcarving, weaving, cane work, and pottery. Wood carvings of the Paiwan and
Rukai tribes of southern Taiwan are particularly celebrated across the globe.
Dance and music are intrinsic parts of Taiwanese culture. The traditional dance
forms of the Taiwanese people are elegant performances by musical instruments
like drums or simple wind or string instruments.
Taiwan thus stands today as a fascinating mixture that caters to every cultural
enthusiast.
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