Yuma Taru Iihan Studio

Atayal Weaving Revival

Yuma Taru was born in the area of Ilyung Penux, Da’an River, in the mountains of central Taiwan. She has brought the Indigenous Atayal dyeing and weaving craft back from the brink of erasure. At the age of 29, Taru initiated a comprehensive 50-year reconstruction plan, broken down into decade-long stages to revive the Atayal Tribe’s diminished cultural, economic, and educational traditions.

The journey began with a decade of research into the craft’s history through fieldwork, elder interviews, and extensive documentation. Following a major earthquake, the second decade focused on training Tribal women in traditional weaving for sustainable livelihoods. The establishment of a Tribal preschool defined the third decade, boosting the adoption of native language, culture, rituals, and life skills for the children of her village.

Currently, in the fourth decade of her plan, a circular economy project harnessing ramie plants is underway involving men in weaving activities to boost the Tribe’s economy. Looking forward, the fifth decade aims to cultivate individuals facilitating international exchanges for a better global future.

In 2023, Yuma was invited to the Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane, Australia to speak about Lihang Studio’s efforts to revitalize Atayal weaving as part of an ongoing First Nations Arts Exchange program between Australia and Taiwan. Her work has been featured in the Gwangju Biennale in 2023, the Taiwan Art Biennial in 2022, the Asia Pacific Triennial in 2021, and in Sakàhan at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, in 2013.