Pulingaw and Their Place of Origin

Just because something is invisible doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist — like air, like spiritual power.The invisible might hold more power than the physical.

Among Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples, traditional belief is often described as “animism” — the idea that all things, from nature to ancestors, have spirits. This leads to the worship of nature — mountain gods, sea gods, sun gods, tree gods — and also the veneration of ancestors who shaped the tribe. These beliefs are expressed through ceremonies with specific purposes and meanings, often held in sacred spaces, giving a sense of mystery.

In these rituals, the pulingaw is a vital figure — a bridge between the visible world and the invisible. Always women, pulingaw represent life and creation. They communicate with ancestral spirits, visit homes to offer blessings or drive away misfortune, and listen to the needs of both spirits and people.

To understand pulingaw culture, we return to where it began — the tribal communities spread across Pingtung county. This exhibition gathers the stories of over 40 living pulingaw to show how, in a land rich with culture, they have preserved a deep system of faith, language, body knowledge, and ritual. They are the spiritual core of their people.

If you believe, there is power.



The Pingtung County Government invites you to explore this sacred and ancient world through the exhibition Pulingaw and Their Place of Origin. Step into the spiritual heart of Indigenous culture and discover the deep-rooted spiritual traditions passed down through generations.