Paiwan artifacts return from Sweden for Pingtung exhibition

Taipei, July 18 (CNA) Forty-eight Paiwan artifacts owned by Sweden's National Museums of World Culture (NMWC) will be featured in a special exhibition at the Shizi Township Heritage Museum in Pingtung County in October, the township office said Thursday.

According to the township, the pieces include carvings, head ornaments, clothing and household items once used by Indigenous Paiwan people in the Shizi area, known as the "Southern Paiwan tribe."

The items were collected from the tribe in the early 20th century and eventually became part of NMWC, which currently owns and maintains them, the township said.

"Welcome home," said Shizi Township chief Paljaljim Matuljitulj (朱宏恩), as the artifacts that once belonged to their "vuvu" -- ancestors in the Paiwan language -- arrived in the township Thursday afternoon after an 8,950-kilometer journey.

He said it was "very touching" to see the pieces return to Shizi and expressed hope that the exhibition would remind young tribe members of their roots and inspire pride in local residents.

The Shizi Township Heritage Museum began working with the National Taiwan Museum in 2022 to help the NMWC verify whether certain items were Paiwan artifacts, the township office said.

After a year of investigation, the three museums confirmed the artifacts' tribal origin and signed a memorandum of understanding in 2023 that led to the October exhibition.

Members of the Shizi Township office visited the Swedish museum in 2024 to discuss the condition, maintenance and exhibition of the items, the township said.

The exhibition will run until the end of 2025, the township office said.