The Academe Adventure and More

The Beauty in Masks…

A mask depicts the story of the thing it covers, however, masks also brings a different beauty, a new story to the one that uses it. Fear, happiness, emotions, all rolled and covered by one face, a mask. People wear masks, keeping a certain behaviour, feeling or emotion to get out of hand, keeping things a captive of the self. Moreover, in the civilization of humanity, masks play an important role in our different traditions. Influencing how things are being practised within a group.

Traditionally, uses of mask are due to activities that being depicted based on different characters that influence the history of tribes. In traditional Taiwan, one certain use of mask is based on the various gods/characters that are influential in the performance of the certain rituals and activities or even just for a celebration of happiness.

Most activities people are involved right now is only in continuing tradition, forgetting about the main reasons of its importance in the olden times. A rich tradition is depicted in the activities that are being performed, continually growing with the ways that keeps it from falling apart.

Taking the chance of knowing the Taiwanese culture is much helpful when you immersed yourself on it. Various elements bring up a cultural activity, each having their own story to tell. These elements can stand alone on their own. Creating a story that stirs up our own personal knowledge of how we view things with ourselves.

One story of the mask related to through a recent trip is that of the Lion mask, even though of it being not domesticated in China and Taiwan in ancient time, playing or dancing with it is formed through copying the movements of the cat, its nearest relative. The Lion is a very symbolic character in Chinese culture. As history tells me (through a little sleuthing around the WEB) I was able to learn about the lion being a gift by the gods in order to fight evils and for protection. The reason dates back as history itself, and the practise is still as something new up to this day. Something quite contradictory on my opinion, yet still it is of utmost relevance, maybe not to me as a tourist but for the locals themselves especially as they are the ones sustaining the tradition.

I had long known conservatism especially in relation to tradition and culture creates the uniqueness, that when being shared to others in ways that reflect the various stories of one’s ancestry. A heart becomes warmed through a deeper understanding on what all of these is about, on my personal account, it is what I always try to seek into, the stories and the reasons of the things that I see.

One living tradition may that be of the arts, symbolising different meanings, giving different perspectives, masking all of history in varying degrees.

The influence of an activity can only go as far as we want it to influence us, however, taking a look on how things are done and doing it amongst ourselves, a certain impact is being brought to our own awareness. Our awareness gives us the mind of being sensitive enough to understand how things are and respect to how they come to be.

A Return to LuKang: My Personal Reflection

What will you do if you are sent with an email message inviting you for a trip?

So, the choice is a yes or a yes, right?

Yes, of course, no holds barred right? Well, it is more often just a matter of time and place, sometimes the money on your pocket as well. As for me, with tons of workload for my studies, I had also long been keeping myself from the outside world as I burrow myself with my completing my class requirements. I passed up so many chances to meet and catch up with dear friends. Even missing the time to send responses to emails and messages and (gasp!) believe it or not, calls.

To actually keep my sanity, I had long been chancing on a break. A simple diversion from my routine as it really makes me think twice with how I am really progressing, which honestly is not that much. So I have to make the time and well, the place is not too far, I had been there before for similar yet not too similar purpose, but just the same thing, I had been there and the offer has just got the perfect timing.

I arranged to immediately respond to the message and waited for confirmation, which unluckily came just a few hours before the trip, making me not too well prepared and with still lots of things on the to-do list but anyway, I am keen on taking that well deserved break and I am doing it.

Aside from my personal reason, one of the tempting things that this trip offers is it being in a tour group. It is not the regular tour group, but I just know from my previous experience, a trip invitation like this a tour with a well-planned itinerary and activities. I also know that with this type of trips, areas where usually tourists, I think foreign tourists preferably, does not usually go, comes included and of course it was not a shocker to me when I saw our trip activity. Meeting a lot of other people, going to not too known areas or activities for (foreign tourists), and an itinerary that I do not have to get involved in planning with, is a trip one can only wish for (it came true for me and for others).

I was feeling all too grumpy and the weather went with me, as I had way too many things to do just to keep up with the hours I am trying to lose by travelling taking a break. Luckily, we got delayed for some time due to regular group trip problems, time restrictions. However, it was not a big deal for me as I had said I tried to catch up on my zzz’s, which I did through the waiting and travel time altogether. Nevertheless, I was refreshed with the ensuing tour activities that started off with a bang.

Indeed, what they had welcomed us with was a group of drum barrels and kids who are handing us “drum” sticks to use to play or to learn how to beat along, according to the Taiwanese Traditional drum playing. I also had my own tutor though, patiently showing me what to do with those things keeping me with the beat from to probably cheer the grumpy and gloomy weather.

What followed next truly unleashed the creative genius in us. The traditional mask making and moulding dough figures. We only got to experience a historical and colouring activity with the traditional masks, given the limited time that we have almost none of us really finished our masks to our desired perfection, but I had a great time in rushing myself to keep the scattered colours! Such a clumsy me but probably I am that creative, thus I saved myself from too much abstract colouring of that mask. Whew! Saving grace!

As for the figurines, well I just learned there is only a basic step in whatever you want to do with your models, roll them, elongate, then roll again—— if I am not mistaken (laughs!). Patience in rolling though and you also have to put in mind they should have the right mix, so as to keep them from breaking, if that should be the term. As most would think, why would a figurine or dough-forming be part of a traditional culture, as I quote from what the people told us, in the history, when people of Taiwan (or probably just LuKang) was poor, they only have those toys to make and play with. Though, honestly, I am not truly convinced that it is the rightful explanation but that is what I heard. It may just be a simple part of the intricate history.

Since, unleashing the child in us, aside from the fact that we were way behind schedule, most of us went to the restaurant starving. It was funny thing though that even as we were starved, our group were not fully able to finish our meal, and some portions had been left even with the fact that the sumptuous seafood lunch was way above mouth-watering. I am a person much used to eating seafood. Of course, I came from a country that is surrounded by water, yet I never came to experience the same way of cooking in the delicacies served back in my country compared here. I am not saying we don’t have the good eats. I am just emphasising the fact that, they are prepared differently, certainly making traditional food one of a kind. Food is therefore, a stand-out idea if you want other to learn about your culture and of how you do things, if you are that observant, you can demystify how people do things and their culture on how they serve or prepared the food. I will not however, share what I was able to conclude. J

After being full, I want to sleep! Kidding! Well, what we did was to actually tour around the place, working what we just ate. Alleys and streets had been busy with people, even with the fact that it had been raining. Probably because of the Mazu Temple situated in the area, we were told that the god’s birthday is coming near, thus people are flocking to the area. For me, the alleys represent the whole of LuKang’s rich history and the rich culture of the people keeping LuKang a place of colourful tradition as it presents itself to the world.

Situating itself with history from the blocks of houses and alleys, temples and other structures, supported by the artistic capability of people, LuKang preserves tradition through forms that are flexible for today’s generation. History may only be professed in the artefacts’ left behind together with the oral art of storytelling but the culture possessed by the place and the people can never be torn apart.

LuKang personifies the glory that any tourist should be able to recognise and for local people to take pride in.

My reflections had well been quite poetic and adjective-full yet it is true. Realising the beauty not only on nature but on the people we are to deal with makes any other trip unusual and extraordinary. Something that I can always look behind and say “that was one great trip!”, and a reminder as well for those remaining travels that I should keep in mind to appreciate all the little things.

Oh, by the way, have I mentioned that in that trip was absolutely free? How cool was that?