Whose "Motherland" Is It? 「祖國」是誰的國?- Kaim Ang 翁佳音 | 2025 Toronto TAIWANfest
Schedule
Sun Aug 24 2025 at 02:30 pm to 04:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Harbourfront Centre | Toronto, ON
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The term “祖國 Ancestral Land” often refers to the People’s Republic of China governed by the Chinese Communist Party within Taiwan’s historical and contemporary context. However, the term originates from Western concepts such as homeland—terms like fatherland, motherland, pátria, or patria. In early East Asian and Taiwanese history, the idea of a “nation-state” or nationalist identity as we know it today did not actually exist. At the time, when people left their hometowns to build new lives elsewhere, their longing was more for “home” or “hometown,” or what is called “祖家 Ancestral Home” (chó͘-ke) in Taiwanese (Zhangzhou dialect).To clarify this historical context, we must revisit the history of East Asia and Taiwan. By examining the movement of maritime communities during that period, we explore how diverse ethnic groups interacted across the seas. An extraordinary number of people traversed the ocean: From the first Portuguese arrivals to other Western powers, how did they engage with the local populations in East Asia? On a small island like Taiwan, how many untold stories and hidden footprints remain?
「祖國」這個看似清晰的概念，在台灣的歷史與現實語境中，常特指由共產黨統治的中華人民共和國。然而，「祖國」一詞源於西方「homeland」（如fatherland、motherland、pátria、patria）的概念。在早期的東亞與台灣歷史中，這種「國族國家」的概念其實並不存在。當時，人們離鄉背井、建立新家園時，更多的思念是關於「家」、「故鄉」，或台語（漳州語）所稱的「祖家」（chó͘-ke）。
為了釐清這段歷史脈絡，我們將回溯至近代初期的東亞與台灣歷史。從當時海上人群的頻繁活動中，探究多元族群如何往來互動。當時，超乎想像的人群在海上航行，留下豐富的歷史痕跡。從最早抵達的葡萄牙人，到其他西方勢力，他們如何與東亞在地居民互動？在「台灣」這樣一個小小的東亞島嶼上，究竟能承載多少不為人知的足跡？
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FREE ADMISSION
In Mandarin with English interpretation
https://programs.torontotaiwanfest.ca/kaim-ang-talk/
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Where is it happening?
Harbourfront Centre, Public Parking, Toronto, ON M5J, CanadaEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
