Island Weaving (島嶼織縷): Special Exhibition of Ancient Austronesian (南島) Clothing and Ornaments

Clothing replaced hair to provide humans with warmth, sun protection, concealment, and protection of the body from external scratches, stings, cuts, and abrasions. From the earliest animal skin clothing to further tailoring and sewing, and then to using plant fibers for beating, twisting, and weaving into garments, human clothing has evolved with the times, environment, and technology. Different ethnic groups in various regions also have their own traditional garment-making techniques. Furthermore, clothing also contains cultural and social symbolism; everything from the style of clothing, color combinations, to the use of patterns has its representative meaning and traditional spirit. This special exhibition focuses on the Austronesian (南島) peoples, from ancient garment-making techniques such as bark cloth and weaving to modern new crafts, allowing us to re-understand the cultural connotations carried by Austronesian clothing and ornaments, and to recognize the sustainable living wisdom of the ancients in taking from and using nature.