Whose Feathers? Changes and Conflicts in the Use of Mountain Hawk-eagle Feathers among Rukai Communities in Taiwan

誰的羽毛？魯凱族熊鷹羽毛利用的變遷與衝突

In Rukai culture, the mountain hawk-eagle is a very sacred and symbolic bird to aristocratic families. Recently, some scholars have called the government's attention to address the near extinction of the mountain hawk-eagles by restricting the hunting and trapping of this species through strengthening the law enforcement. The following research primarily focuses on the continuity of the indigenous cultures of Taiwan by conducting interviews with individuals from the Rukai communities regarding the changes and conflicts between the traditional use of feathers by ceremonial practitioners versus the conservation of the mountain hawk-eagles. This study suggests that the government should invite relevant authorities, indigenous representatives, and local leaders to establish a co-management committee with legitimate power, so as to ensure the sustainable feather usage of the mountain hawk-eagle species.

在魯凱族文化中，熊鷹是極具代表性的猛禽，族人認為熊鷹羽毛具有象徵性權利的意義，是部落頭目或重要人物的表徵。近幾年野生動物保育意識高漲，有些學者認為原住民狩獵文化不合時宜，有關單位必須正視原住民利用熊鷹羽毛導致熊鷹瀕臨滅絕的事實，因此呼籲加強執法，杜絕熊鷹的獵捕。本研究以民族生態學及政治生態學的角度，欲瞭解魯凱族使用熊鷹羽毛的文化及與保育的衝突，當中訪談了52位族人，包括頭目、獵人及社區幹部等等。本研究發現魯凱族仍然保有獵捕熊鷹的禁忌和倫理，希望有關當局能與族人合作，例如設置熊鷹羽毛庫、制定部落公約、成立資源共管委員會，設立獵人學校，以及推展生態旅遊等措施，找出熊鷹保育和文化保存雙贏的途徑。