Tribal Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience in the Culture and Health Stations of Taiwanese Indigenous Peoples

Abstract

As of 10 July 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 in Taiwan has been under effective control. Counties and cities in Eastern Taiwan, where mainly indigenous peoples reside, are among the few places in Taiwan that have reported zero confirmed cases and hence are considered to be relatively safe. This contradicts the general assumption that indigenous peoples are more vulnerable to the impact of an epidemic because of the healthcare and social inequalities that they have suffered for long. Therefore, the tribal situation and the epidemic prevention experience of Taiwanese indigenous peoples is an issue that must be discussed. This article references archival materials and practical experience from the culture and health station programme; further, it explores Taiwan’s epidemic prevention model and the responses of Taiwanese indigenous peoples and the experiences of tribal culture and health stations. This article presents observations and reflections from the following three perspectives: decolonisation, the sociology of disaster and community development.