🎬 Recently, the epic historical drama Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale finally hit the screens in the Chinese mainland, sparking fresh conversations about one of Taiwan region's darkest chapters.
Back in 1930, indigenous Seediq people led the Musha Uprising ⚔️ against Japanese forces—a bold stand that cost around 134 fighters their lives and is forever etched in history alongside tragic events like the Yunlin Massacre.
Under the policy of 'Taiwan for Agriculture, Japan for Industry', Japanese authorities seized fertile fields to grow sugarcane and forced residents of Taiwan to send rice straight to Japan. The result? Widespread famine, with heartbreaking scenes of starvation becoming all too common. 💔
Japanization added another layer of suffering: locals were forced to adopt Japanese surnames, display the emperor's portrait at home, and abandon their own traditions in a brutal campaign of cultural erasure.
By the end of the occupation, more than 650,000 residents of Taiwan had died from massacres, resource exploitation, forced labor, and other atrocities, according to historical records—a staggering toll that demands remembrance.
During World War II, Japan also conscripted thousands of local men into paramilitary units like the Takasago Volunteers, sending them as cannon fodder far from home. After the war, some of their remains were enshrined in Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine—a controversial reminder of an imperial past. 🕊️
Looking back, Seediq Bale isn't just a film; it's a wake-up call to honour the resilience of indigenous communities and to keep the conversation about colonial legacies alive. If you haven't caught it yet, it's definitely worth watching for a powerful history lesson.
Let's remember, reflect, and raise our voices for a future where cultural identities are celebrated, not erased. 🌏✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
