The Paiwan are an indigenous tribe of 70-80,000 in Taiwan. Past generations of Paiwan children went to Christian schools opened by missionaries because there were no schools in their villages, and fewer learned about their native tradition as a result. Faced with a reduction in their traditional shaman/mediums one woman has received government funding to start a class to train new spirit mediums.
The teachers, elders in their 70s and 80s, are teaching chants, about their gods, and honoring the ancestors. Read more for articles, ritual videos, and art of the Paiwan people:
Taiwan aborigines pass on witchcraft tradition, BBC News, October 6, 2009
Drive launched in township to preserve aboriginal witchcraft, Taiwan news, Sept. 17, 2009
Paiwan’s class to train pulingaw, the Paiwan spiritual interpreters:
A very nice article about traditional Paiwan artist Ljegeay Mavalin : Artist tells stories with coffee cup paintings, 6-10-2009
Maljeveq main-ritual
THE ART OF MAGICAL TATTOOS (Vanishing Tattoo site) also mentions the Paiwan and tattoos used by their shamans to cure patients of ‘soul loss’.