THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

The Chingchuan Children's Choir photo by Steven Vigar (Up Against The Wall)

The Wufong Project (五峰計畫) Fundraiser Auction: Restoring Hope

By Alita World

 

This afternoon a series of performances will culminate in a fundraising auction and raffle held by The Wufong Project (五峰計畫), featuring photography and art work by Aboriginal children of the Atayal tribe (泰雅) of Hsinchu County (新竹縣).

The Wufong Project founder, Californian Malinda Schultz first became aware of the tribe after seeing the Chingchuan Atayal Children’s Choir (清泉桃山國小合唱團) perform at Peacefest, an annual music festival.

She met up with Father Barry Martinson, a Jesuit priest who has lived with the Atayal people for 35 years, who she describes as “a great leader in the community” and told him of her desire to raise money and awareness for the Chingchuan Village (清泉村) school.

The Wufong Project was created with the aim of educating the children to develop their creative and technical skills. Proceeds from the sale of their artwork will be used to raise part of the NT$2.1 million needed to establish a Community Center to showcase the Atayal culture and traditions, hold classes, and sell handicrafts.

“This community center could be the start of a rebirth for the village,” said Father Martinson. “Its renovation could provide a new source of pride and self-help action for the villagers.”

Located in the beautiful mountains of Hsinchu County, the village is becoming a destination for travelers. The tribe is best known for weaving and hunting skills and for traditional facial tattooing, popularized by the movie Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (彩虹戰士: 賽德克巴萊) about the Aborigine rebellion during Japanese occupation in the 1930s. A renewed interest in Aboriginal cultures is bringing an increase in tourism to the area. The establishment of a Community Center will create a source of income for the tribe.

Schultz and Peacefest organizer Sean Kaiteri brought together volunteer photographers, artists, performers, videographers and documentary editors who hail from around the world to teach the children how to shoot photos using disposable cameras.

Foreign residents of Taiwan from Russia, Canada, America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand held workshops for the children. After the basic photography workshop, the youngsters were given disposable cameras and spent two weeks capturing images of their surroundings: landscapes, portraitures, and still-lifes.  A second round of art workshops taught the children to express themselves in various mediums.

The resulting artwork and photos will be auctioned this afternoon, following a series

of performances from 2pm to 5pm by the Children’s Choir, and the Chingchuan Atayal Break Dance Team (清泉泰雅霹靂舞團). Renowned singer-songwriter and Aboriginal activist Inka Mbing (雲力思) will perform and there will be a screening of a short film about The Wufong Project by Verity Macintosh and Tobie Openshaw. “This project is driven by people who are willing to go the extra mile,” said Openshaw, who also is also a volunteer photographer with the group.

 

EVENT NOTES:

What: The Wufong Project (五峰計畫) Fundraiser Auction: Restoring Hope



When: Today from 2pm to 5pm



Where: The Pavilion of Aroma of Flowers (為台北花博公園風味館) in Taipei Fine Arts Museum Park near Yuanshan MRT Station (圓山捷運站)

Admission: free

On the Net: www.thewufongproject.wordpress.com

40 Things I Love About Taiwan

Sunset sky at Biasha Beach near Taipei photo by ©alitaworld

Alita World’s Why I <3 Taiwan Top 40:

1. The people here: some of the friendliest, most helpful people you will ever meet anywhere in the world. Hands down.
2. The frontier spirit, particularly in the south: five people on a scooter, betel nut girls, custom-designed vehicles, street vendors, independent businesses, shops set up in any available nook, people gambling on card tables at the side of the road, electric wire mayhem, DIY freedom.
3. 24-hour activity and convenience: restaurants, cafés, convenience stores, bookstores open around the clock.
4. Taipei’s growing cosmopolitan feel: Russian ice-vodka bars, sushi restaurants, upscale department grocery store delis, wine bars, Eslite bookstore, etc.
5. Taxis: affordable, available, efficient, fairly honest, prepared to go on a cross-country trip if required, and you can drink in the cab.
6. Taipei 101. Simply beautiful, and the best view of the city on a clear day.
7. FREEDOM: Democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, social activism, marches, protests, Tibetan Freedom concerts, artist’s freedom of expression. THIS IS TAIWAN, NOT CHINA. See our artists criticizing the gov’t? Well you’ll see them tomorrow, too, because they won’t be locked up.
8. State of the art technology and design. Taiwanese engineers, inventors, and designers are winning awards world-wide. We have city wide internet access in Taipei as well. The future happens faster in Taiwan.
9. 7-11: where you can pay your phone bill, do your banking, affordably ship a package anywhere on the island overnight, get a latte, fruit, salads, and sit at a counter to eat/drink/read the paper.
10. Job opportunities for foreigners teaching English for a decent wage with full benefits and an Alien Resident Card, in a country where education and educators are respected.
11. 6% tax, most of which you get back as a tax refund, which a friendly, English-speaking government volunteer will help you apply for free of charge, without having to wait.
12. Other opportunities for expatriates as DJs, artists, writers, reporters, columnists, actors, directors, models, burlesque dancers, musicians, vocalists, tap-dancers, graffiti artists, graphic designers. If you want to do it and you are good at it you can find a way here.
13. Affordability: housing, food, entertainment, travel, accommodation, are all very reasonable. You can live like a queen here, have brunch at a fine restaurant, take taxis everywhere, buy a new outfit, go out for dinner, go dancing, and end it by drinking champagne (okay sparkling wine) on a tropical beach – and you can do that every weekend!
14. World class health and dental care, which covers 90% of any costs, and pharmacies where you can get anything you need without a prescription and without paying through the teeth.
15. Hot springs. All over the island. Public or in your own private hot tub, from free to luxurious, some with massage jets and some just in a rock pool in the middle of nowhere.
16. The naked lady spa. I go to Lady Eliza. 350NT gets you 12 hours with hot and cold pools, saunas, steam rooms, a restaurant, lounge, and nap room (with the air con cranked and big down comforters), complimentary robes, towels, toothbrushes, hair dryers, cold cream, etc. You can even spend the night.
17. Massage. Full body, foot, reflexology, deep tissue, oil. Even as part of your hair wash and style, you get a shoulder and neck rub.
18. Chinese medicine, cupping, acupuncture. Will sort out life-long back problems that Western medicine can’t touch. Affordable, effective, and holistic.
19. Parks: located all over the cities, with sitting areas and play areas, beautiful landscaping, trees, flowers, ponds, fish, ducks, playgrounds, sports’ areas, walking and running paths.
20. Bike paths in the river valleys and around the country, with widespread bike rental available.
21. Green initiatives: world class constantly expanding public transport, construction site fencing covered with vertical gardens, tree planting along roads and boulevards, rooftop gardens, wind power, solar panels.
22. The MRT. Listed as one of the world’s top metro services for four years in a row. Clean, cheap, fast, efficient, wide spread. Makes Taipei instantly accessible. Kaohsiung’s metro stations are amazing as well, beautiful soaring glass architectural structures that give it the feeling of Vancouver or Sydney.
23. The High Speed Rail. You can get from one end of the island to the other in 1 hour and 45 mins, for NT$1500 (that’s 50$US). It used to take 5 to 9 hours, depending on traffic. It’s as convenient as getting on the metro, and you can prebook your tickets online.
24. Fruit and vegetable gardens in and around the city, independently grown and sold by small-scale farmers. Flower markets, gardening centers, bedding plants, all widely available and affordable.
25. Street side food markets and organic stores in every neighborhood, selling fresh locally grown produce, fish, seafood, eggs, meat, poultry, baked goods, without the “farmer’s market” prices in the West.
26. Night markets, free markets, flea markets, black markets. What you want is here, you can afford it, and you can even bargain that price down a bit.
27. Restaurants: a dizzying array of Indian, Thai, Western, Italian, Burmese, Halal, Vegetarian, Vegan, Vietnamese, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Korean, check out the Hungry Girl’s blog for a wide list of options.
28. Taiwanese seafood restaurants. These deserve their own category. You can feast on tender squid, plump shrimp, crispy soft shell crab, sashimi, whole fish, juicy clams, and beer for about NT$300 per person. Or for vegans they’ll make gung-pao tofu, sweet and sour tofu, water spinach, sweet potato leaf, eggplant, you name it.
29. “Weird food”… that you come to love: squid on a stick, tea eggs, salty egg, rice triangles, stuffed bao-tze, fish with the tail and head on, poultry with the head and feet on, shrimp with sweet mayo and candy sprinkles, tofu skin (mmm), hell some even come to love stinky tofu.
30. Random art. Within a block of my house in each direction are: the Tun Hua Eslite “bird cage sculpture”, the Civic Blvd and Tun Hua “zebra crossing sculpture”, and the Yanji Street “cupping hands sculpture”. Art IS everywhere in Taiwan.
31. Cultural festivals and holidays: with days off, parades, fireworks, and incredible costumes and rituals, Taiwan always seems to have something going on: Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Ghost month Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Matzu’s festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, and that crazy one where people wear helmets and get bombed by fireworks.
32. Film festivals: Golden Horse, Urban Nomad, and other small festivals celebrating and sharing local, expat, and foreign works.
33. Live music. There are so many bands it’s impossible to keep up with them all. In particular, Taiwanese girl bands rock my world. There is every kind of music you can imagine, from blues and jazz to electro and death metal. Expats have also contributed greatly to the live scene and many have cut their first album here. Taiwan rocks. [Unfortunately the government seems determined to destroy Taichung’s music scene and has closed down the heart of it when they shut the doors of 89K].
    

    Rocketgirl at Spring Scream 2011 photo by ©alitaworld

34. 

    Crowd at Spring Scream 2011 photo by ©alitaworld

    Spring Scream – the actual Spring Scream, not the culmination of events including all the raves and beach parties. Spring Scream itself, the gathering of200 bands on 7 stages at Oulanbi Lighthouse set up by Wade and Jimi where musicians and music fans from around the island join up to camp, dance, eat, play, and rock the ROC.

35. Clubbing, outdoor electro festivals, parties. Luxy deserves special mention for bringing so many international acts and for fostering the careers of so many locally based talented DJs. It’s also beautiful inside, like three clubs in one, with luxurious accents and great dance floors (though the staff need retraining).
36. You can drink outside. Many convenience stores have tables and chairs set up under umbrellas outside, or you can share a bottle of wine in a park, or have a cold beer on a beach. You can put a cocktail shaker in the basket of your bicycle. You can walk around wearing one of those hats with two beers and a straw and enjoy your day. You can have a damn drink at an outdoor festival. Cheers to Taiwan. Gan bei!!
37. The geography. It’s such a tiny island but Taiwan has it all: gorgeous gorges, volcanic rock sculpted landscapes, lush jungles, rolling hills, misty mountains, and a stunning coastline.
38. The beaches: whether it’s Biasha north, the beaches of Kenting area, Fulong, Biasha south just outside of Taipei, or one of the lesser known strips of white, black, or golden sand and achingly blue water, huge waves or calm seas, there is no doubt you are on a tropical island.
39. Green Island. Special mention for my favorite place so far: a 40 minute ferry away from the mainland is an emerald jewel where you can ride a scooter around absorbing the beauty of cliffs straight out of Lord of the Rings, bathe in natural hot springs, eat fresh sashimi cut straight from a huge fish and placed on your tongue, or enjoy world class snorkeling.
40. Safety. This is one of the safest places in the world. There is not much violent street crime, random shooting is almost unheard of, there are very few homeless people or crazy people and begging is almost non-existent. I stopped carrying pepper spray after living here for a year and haven’t carried it since (unless I was going to India or North America).

xx

Top 10 Ways to Stop Climate Change (practical applications in Taiwan especially)

I was reading this excellent article by David Suzuki on how to stop climate change and thought I’d add some tips for people living in Taipei, with a few more ideas to follow. The link to the original article is at the bottom.

Again – this is David Suzuki’s article – I’ve underlined what I’ve added:

Top 10 ways you can stop climate change

Try these 10 ways to reduce your carbon footprint today (Credit: Twm™ via Flickr).

Ever wonder how your tiny carbon footprint really impacts the big picture of climate change? Though you might feel like your lifestyle is insignificant compared to things like oil extraction or vehicle emissions, the choices we make in our day-to-day life — how we get around, what we eat, how we live — play a major role in slowing climate change.

Here’s a list of 10 ways you can join in the fight to reduce our carbon footprint. Whether you save it on your desktop, share it with friends, or stick a copy on your fridge (PDF), this quick reference guide breaks down what you can do today to protect the planet for future generations.

1. Green your commute

Transportation causes about 25 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, so walk, cycle or take transit whenever you can. You’ll save money and get into better shape! If you can’t go car-free, try carpooling or car sharing, and use the smallest, most fuel-efficient vehicle possible.

In Taipei this means park your scooter when you can and take the MRT. Can you leave your scooter at one end of the MRT to decrease the distance? I used to have 2 bicycles, one at either end of an MRT route I used. If you do scoot, get your oil changed regularly (they don’t use much gas but can be a major source of exhaust pollution).  Living near your work means you could ride your bicycle – just bring a spare shirt and a cloth to dry your sweat!

2. Be energy efficient

You already switch off lights — what’s next? Change light bulbs to compact fluorescents or LEDs. Unplug computers, TVs and other electronics when not in use. Wash clothes in cold or warm (not hot) water. Dryers are energy hogs, so hang dry when you can. Install a programmable thermostat. Look for the Energy Star® label when buying new appliances. And a home energy audit is cheaper than you think — book one today to find even more ways to save energy.

In Taiwan we kick ass at this – unless we take our laundry to the local place where they use a drier. If you use a washer at home, try placing plants in pots without saucers around where your hose lets the water out – it will water them for you. If you have limited space, hang clothes hangers from eachother, by hooking the hook of one over the neck of the next so that they hang vertically not horizontally. Get a fan for each room of the house to reduce air con use. UNPLUG. You probably have multiple octopus cords – get the kind that you can switch off when you leave to turn off multiple appliances at once. 

3. Choose renewable power

Ask your utility to switch your account to clean, renewable power, such as from wind farms. If it doesn’t offer this option yet, ask it to.

4. Eat wisely

Buy organic and locally grown foods. Avoid processed items. Grow some of your own food. And eat low on the food chain — at least one meat-free meal a day — since 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions come from meat and dairy production. Food writer Michael Pollan sums it up best: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

In Taiwan we have local outdoor wet markets all over. Use them to buy your produce from local farmers, not the Wellcome that not only imports but puts everything in styrofoam. At the local market you can get eggs in a bag, and use an old plastic carton. In Taipei there are organic markets on every block these days. Start there, buy what you can, save the seeds, and replant them on your balcony or roof. Even if you can’t grow food you can have sweet plants for the cost of dirt.

5. Trim your waste

Garbage buried in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Keep stuff out of landfills by composting kitchen scraps and garden trimmings, and recycling paper, plastic, metal and glass. Let store managers and manufacturers know you want products with minimal or recyclable packaging.

Again, refuse to buy anything in styrofoam. Carry your own drink cup. Get a pair of retractable chopsticks in a little case from your local “everything store”. Carry a thin, foldable shopping bag. It’s the size of a pack of smokes and will save you hundreds of bags a year. Call the water delivery guys and get water delivered, then refill your bottle daily instead of buying bottled water every day. Keep a cold jug in the fridge. Here’s the number in Taipei: (02)2262-6000; in Taichung (03)522-3733. Or better yet, install a filter to your faucet (you can buy them at RT Mart or Costco).

6. Let polluters pay

Carbon taxes make polluting activities more expensive and green solutions more affordable, allowing energy-efficient businesses and households to save money. They are one of the most effective ways to reduce Canada’s climate impact. If your province doesn’t have a carbon tax, ask your premier and MLA to implement one.

7. Fly less

Air travel leaves behind a huge carbon footprint. Before you book your next airline ticket, consider greener options such as buses or trains, or try vacationing closer to home. You can also stay in touch with people by videoconferencing, which saves time as well as travel and accommodation costs.

Okay this is a tough one as expats need to go home to visit family – but for vacations, instead of going out of country, try out what Taiwan has to offer. With the money you save on a Chinese New Year flight to Thailand (12000-17000NT) you could have a wicked time down south camping on the beach or staying in a beach town hotel, snorkeling, swimming, and renting a scooter for a drive down the coast (better 100nt worth of gas than a flight). Better for the earth and for Taiwan’s economy.

8. Get informed

Follow the latest news about climate change. Join our community. Host a presentation for your community or workplace by requesting a presenter trained by Al Gore from The Climate Project Canada.

9. Get involved

Take a few minutes to contact your political representatives and the media to tell them you want immediate action on climate change. Remind them that reducing greenhouse gas emissions will also build healthier communities, spur economic innovation and create new jobs. And next time you’re at the polls, vote for politicians who support effective climate policies.

10. Support and Donate

Many organizations, including the David Suzuki Foundation, are working hard on solutions to climate change and rely on financial support from citizens like you. Consider making a donation today by calling 1-800-453-1533

In Taiwan, use the recycling and compost truck. Put old or unwanted clothes and household goods in the green bins on every block. Reduce the amount of new things you buy. Check second hand stores and tealit.com for used things, especially appliances. Have a clothing swap with a group of friends. Trade books and magazines.

link to original article and more by Mr. Suzuki: here

Embarrassing things about me: Music lyrics

Embarrassing things about me: Music lyrics

1. From 1989 to 1991 I thought that “Wave of Mutilation” by the Pixies was actually “Wave of Illumination”. I was singing along blissfully in a club, the only smiley, blonde goth in the group, when a harder core guy that I secretly had a crush on said “Did you just say ‘Wave of Illumination’?”. From crush to crushed. The song lyrics are:

   Cease to resist, giving my goodbye
   Drive my car into the ocean
   You think I'm dead, but I sail away
   On a wave of mutilation
   Wave of mutilation (x2)
   Wave, wave

   I've kissed mermaids, rode the El Nino
   Walked the sand with the crustaceans
   Could find my way to Mariana
   On a wave of mutilation
   Wave of mutilation (x2)
   Wave, wave

   Wave of mutilation (x3)
   Wave, wave
I still think “Wave of Illumination” kind of works. At the time I 
thought it was a beautiful concept – that at the moment of death you 
had this wave of illumination. 


2. When I was 13 my biological father decided he wanted to develop a
 relationship with me so he taught me chess. He used it to 
illustrate how power works in a political science kind of way 
(pawns sacrificed, religion serving the state, etc). Later when I
 heard the Pat Benetar song “Hit me with your best shot” I thought 
she was saying “Hit me with your Bishop”. It also made sense. Not 
only in the chess context – this was also when all the diddling
 priests and back-door burglaring bishops were making it into the 
headlines. These are the lyrics – I’ve replaced “best shot” with
 “bishop”. It’s fine!:

Well you're the real tough cookie with the long history 
Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me 
That's O.K., lets see how you do it 
Put up your dukes, lets get down to it! 
Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Why Don't You Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Fire Away! 


You come on with a come on, you don't fight fair 
But that's O.K., see if I care! 
Knock me down, it's all in vain 
I'll get right back on my feet again! 


Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Why Don't You Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Fire Away! 


Well you're the real tough cookie with the long history 
Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me 
Before I put another notch in my lipstick case 
You better make sure you put me in my place 


Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Come On, Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Hit Me With Your Bishop! 
Fire Away! 


heh heh

Alita Spinehouse: They told me to go for surgery but I said no, no, no

Being in an MRI machine sounds like being in a tiny bathroom in a huge, loud nightclub. Here is a little ditty about my herniated disc troubles:

Alita Spinehouse: Surgery

They tried to make me go to surgery but I said no no no
Disc’s ruptured in my back but I’ll keep intact don’t you know know know
I’m flat on my spine, and my daddy said take your time
…They tried to make me go for surgery but I said no no no

I’d rather be at home with Rom and Max
Without these back spasm attacks
But there’s no way they’re cutting out part of my back
I’ll learn another way, just relax

I’m in a lot of pain
Wish I had champagne
With a bendy straw instead of a glass

They tried to make me go to surgery but I said no no no
Disc’s ruptured in my back but I’ll keep intact don’t you know know know
I’m flat on my spine, and my daddy said take your time
They tried to make me go for surgery but I said no no no

The man said “everyone else had surgery here”
I said “I don’t care I’m gonna keep my pain killers near”

Doc said it’s time for your MRI test
CAT scan and all the rest
They tried to make me go for surgery and I said no no no
Yes I’m in pain but I’ll heal again don’t you know know know

I don’t ever wanna be in hospital again
But I have so many friends
They’ve brought me all kind of treats
And I think I’m on the mend

And it’s not just my pride
These tears have dried

Now if they want me to go to rehab I will go go go
I’ll strengthen my back, I’ll get my groove back don’t you know know know
I have got the time, and my faith tells me I’ll be fine
When it’s time to go to rehab I will go go go.

Spring Cleaning Tip: bedding

Here in Taiwan the weather is warming up and it’s about time to pack away all the winter bedding, thick sheets, and feather duvets. Did you know that you can toss your feather pillows and comforter in the washing machine and drier? Follow these tips before you put things in storage:

*wash on “Normal” using half the regular amount of detergent

*DON’T use bleach (the feathers can’t recover from it)

*tumble dry for way longer than you’d think to make sure everything is dry all the way through

*let everything cool down completely, then put it in a plastic storage bag with an extra fabric softener sheet and store so that it’s fresh come next winter

*if anything gets musty over the summer, remember it was washed already, so just put it in the drier with a fabric softener sheet to freshen it up if need be

Sweet dreams!!

Cold? Here’s a Sunshine Set List to brighten your day!

 

Special thanks to Mark, Sarah, Michael, Brandon, Jun, Honi, Ryan, and Adam for helping to make this list… add song links to it in the comments section and I’ll republish if you want!

• Everybody Loves the Sunshine, Roy Ayers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M36OGCfYp3A

• Black Sunshine White Zombie ft. Iggy Pop http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqPClltS5k8&feature=fvwrel

• “It’s a Sunshine Day” by the Brady Bunch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4FprR_LNSU

• Sunshine on Leith, The Proclaimers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BDj4mr0fBc

• Sunshine Daydream, Grateful Dead of course….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeQIpY_3weE

• Nuyorican soul,i am the black gold of the sun(4hero remix) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWSFllXLd4k

• Ain’t no….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo

• ‎”Walking on Sunshine”, by Katrina and the Waves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_v468ptuXw – sunshine, lollipops and rainbows

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNCDccuROHk
  You are the sunshine of my life – stevie wonder

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOoHTcuORcY
  sun is shining – bob Marley

• Darwin Deez “Bad Day”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SJCz3vC3FE

• Sunshine” by De La Soul http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfPq99Xfirw