Dear Reader,
I’ve always been interested in history and stories that resonate through the ages. When I was a history undergrad at the University of Toronto in Canada, we examined the accomplishments of China’s ancient civilization, Japan’s amazing modernization journey, India’s timeless wisdom traditions, the Near and Middle East’s high culture in its many golden ages, and the West’s world-changing advances in the Age of Exploration and the Industrial Revolution.
What was always missing throughout my historical education in North America was the story of my own people. What about the beautiful isle of Taiwan? As a child of Taiwanese immigrants, it has always been an uncomfortable and frustrating knowledge gap.
As I wrote for FolkloreThursday back in 2018, the stories of Taiwan (both historical and folkloric) are fantastic and wildly diverse. Taiwanese tales range from completely homegrown to those magically imbued with other cultures that the Taiwanese came into contact with. All are fully integrated into Taiwan’s own identity and culture.
I wish to create a friendly portal through which the world can be introduced to these stories—our stories. That’s what the Island Folklore project is all about: A folkloric tour of Ilha Formosa and an online repository of Taiwan’s tales and traditions. Open to everyone.
Thank you for being along for the journey. It means a lot! Simply following and sharing our project with friends and family goes a very long way! As always, you can connect with us on social media, sign up for our free monthly newsletter and forward them to fellow curious minds. If you really like what we do, consider pledging a monthly contribution of just US$1 (or equivalent in your local currency) via our Patreon page. This project is funded by donations and every little bit helps!
If you’ve got story ideas, also consider writing for Island Folklore. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!
As we get ready for 2022, a look-back below revisits stories that we published this year. Each is a testament to the unique yet diverse experience of the Taiwanese people.
And finally, I wish you a truly wonderful holiday season and a very merry Christmas.
Cheers!
Jim
Creator of Island Folklore
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