Saisiyat Dwarf Spirit Festival Cultural Museum

Located in Zhujiazhuang Village ('ip'ipa'an bato', meaning "a place where flat stones are everywhere") in Da'ai Village, Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County, this is the site of the Saisiyat Dwarf Spirit Festival Cultural Museum. The museum is themed around Saisiyat culture, showcasing the tribe's profound history and cultural heritage. Notably, it shares the same area with the Hsinchu Pas-ta'ai Festival site, making it one of the Saisiyat people's cultural centers. The Saisiyat tribe is the smallest among Taiwan's nine indigenous tribes in terms of population. The Pas-ta'ai Festival, also known as the "Dwarf Spirit Festival" (矮靈祭), represents the Saisiyat people's reverence and respect for the dwarf spirits (the ancestral spirits of the Saisiyat tribe). This festival is also a ritual through which the Saisiyat tribe prays for favorable weather and abundant harvests. It is held every two years, with a grander ceremony taking place every ten years, attracting countless Saisiyat people living abroad back to their homeland to participate. The Pas-ta'ai Festival lasts for three days, and its procedures are quite intricate and rich in ritual. It is mainly divided into three stages: inviting the spirits, entertaining the spirits, and sending off the spirits. During the festival, Saisiyat people conduct the rituals with a solemn heart and invite others to participate. Participants must maintain an attitude of reverence, rather than one of levity or jest, to show respect for Saisiyat traditions and culture. This museum and the festival are not only symbols of Saisiyat culture but also a part of Taiwan's diverse indigenous cultures, allowing more people to understand and respect the history and traditions of this land.