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August 1 is the annual Indigenous Peoples Day. The Council of Indigenous Peoples organized the "8/1 Indigenous Peoples Day: 27th anniversary of the rectification of the official collective designation for Aborigines in Taiwan” (81原住民族日：正名27週年回顧與前瞻) event at the Grand Hotel. In addition to the presence of the many ambassadors to Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文總統) stated that the indigenous peoples played an important role in Taiwan's democratic transformation, and they certainly performed outstandingly in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Read More: President Tsai presents Olympics flag and urges Team Taiwan to go for gold
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Aboriginal Olympic athletes compete in the Tokyo Olympics. Picture/Retrieved from Watchout, Co. Facebook page
For the Taiwanese team competing in the Tokyo Olympics, there are many outstanding aboriginal athletes competing for glory for the country, such as weightlifting gold medalist Kuo Wei-chun/Ami (郭婞純, 阿美族), silver medalist in Judo Yang Yung-wei/Paiwan (楊勇緯, 排灣族), 100m runner Yang Chun-han/Ami (楊俊瀚, 阿美族), 100m runner Hsieh Hsi-en/Ami (謝喜恩, 阿美族), Taekwondo player Subaya/Ami (蘇柏亞,阿美族), 400m hurdle athlete Chen Chie/Ami (陳傑/阿美族), Judo player Lin Chen-hao/Ami (林真豪,阿美族), boxer Chen Nianqin/Ami/Bunun (陳念琴/阿美族,布農族), cyclist Feng Chun-kai/Atayal, (馮俊凱/泰雅族), archer Lin Chia-en/Atayal (林佳恩/泰雅族), national weightlifter Chiang Nien-hsin/Bunun, (江念欣/布農族), weightlifter Kao Chan-hung/Bunun (展宏/布農族), and weightlifter Fang Wan-ling/Tsou (方莞靈/鄒族).
Read More: Taiwan's first Olympic Gold medal! Kuo Hsing-chun with 3 Olympic weightlifting records
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President Tsai invites the public to cheer for the aboriginal Olympic athletes. Picture / Retrieved from Tsai Ing-wen's Facebook
President Tsai Ing-wen said that in this Tokyo Olympics, many Aboriginal athletes shined brightly. At the moment of victory, boxer Chen Nien-chin called out in ethnic language that he was "a child of the Ami tribe," which was really touching.
Aside from sports events, Taiwan’s indigenous peoples have participated and contributed a lot in the process of democratic transformation. The indigenous peoples’ participation in current politics, economics, industries, national defense affairs, and front-line epidemic prevention positions all have outstanding contributions and deserve equal attention. When we call on the Taiwan people to cheer for the aboriginal athletes, we should also learn about the history and culture of the aboriginal people and see their activities in various fields.
