“As the Ministry of Education has been encouraging schools to develop their own distinctive characteristics, I decided to turn our school into a Hakka culture promoter,” Hsieh told Taiwan Today Dec. 28.
Hsieh’s plan makes perfect sense, considering the school’s location in Zhutian Township, where three-quarters of the 18,000-plus population are Hakka.
“The idea to offer a class on Hakka patchwork arts for 9th graders came from our director of general affairs, Chung Tung-yu,” he said, adding that the faculty has rallied behind the initiative.
An expert in Japanese-style quilt arts, Chung saw great potential for the distinctive floral designs used as trim on Hakka women’s traditional blue dresses.
“Last semester I taught students to make small pouches of floral-patterned red or blue cotton cloth, and also to use the material for lantern decorations,” she said.
“Although we’re using a different textile, the patterns are the customary ones with peonies, sweet osmanthus or chrysanthemums, colorful and immediately recognizable. They are thus the perfect ethnic symbol.”
One of the school’s goals, Chung said, is to help students relate more closely to their ethnic origins and strengthen their cultural identity, especially given the comparably weak position of Hakka culture in Taiwan.
Comprising descendents of early immigrants from mainland China’s Guangdong province in the 17th century, the Hakka represent around 18 percent of the nation’s 23 million people.
“I often tell my students that we can create new products simply by injecting innovation into old stuff,” she said. “Our handmade items for daily use, infused with Hakka elements, are a prime example.”
Chung spent considerable time after school crafting an array of items utilizing Hakka floral cloth, ranging from journal covers and tote bags to a wall hanging based on traditional female apparel.
One of her masterpieces is a handbag adorned with a design reminiscent of the swallowtail rooftop of an old-time Hakka house. “With just a little creativity, handicrafts become more Hakka style.”
Many students are attracted by these everyday items, with their fresh appearance, Chung said. “Much to my surprise, male students also find them intriguing.”
In the coming semester, Chung will teach another group of 9th graders—all boys—how to use sewing machines to make cushions and pencil cases. “This syllabus is based on student requests,” she pointed out.
But the school’s vocational innovations have gone far beyond the campus itself.
“To see how popular our new products might be, we invited community members to join a hands-on session to make Hakka handbags,” Hsieh said. “Surprisingly, the event saw an encouraging turnout from residents of all ages.”
In fact, the activity was so successful that it has become a regular program involving women from the surrounding area.
Moreover, the school’s decision to incorporate Hakka culture into its vocational education program has received unwavering support from the Pingtung County government.
The reflection of regional characteristics in Juten’s vocational curriculum is highly distinctive, according to Hsieh Hsiu-chu, an official with the county Bureau of Education.
“Vocational education plays a pivotal role in the country as it provides an option for students who prefer to develop skills to earn a living rather than focus entirely on academic studies,” she explained.
The county government subsidizes the school’s purchases of textiles, equipment and other materials, and has also taken its Hakka quilt bags overseas as part of people-to-people diplomacy. “Japanese teachers were delighted to receive them during our visit last October,” she said.
“One more noteworthy point is that we have been working closely with the community, which can provide more resources for the school,” Chung said. “And the school can play a significant part in promoting local industries.”
If the handbag-making activity could be expanded to a regional business, it would spur local economic development and provide employment opportunities for her students, Chung added.
Moreover, when students see adults coming in from their jobs or housework to help out, they are also getting an education in the traditional Hakka values of industriousness, thrift and perseverance.
To diversify its vocational program, Juten also teaches students to make Hakka food specialties such as mochi and flat noodles, and offers Hakka language classes in the morning as well.
Another aspect of the school’s goal to pass down Hakka culture is its efforts to promote tourism in Zhutian, Principal Hsieh Cheng-feng said.
“The Hakka quilt items have become a symbol of our school,” he said. “We believe they will help put Zhutian on the tourist map for residents of other cities and counties.”
The serene rural area boasts many sites worth visiting, Chung said. These include the Zhutian Train Station, built in 1919, the second oldest surviving wooden station from the Japanese colonial period (1895-1945), Pingtung County Hakka Museum and Zhongyi Temple in Liudui, a major venue for Hakka ancestral worship.
“We have loads of tourism resources here,” she said. “All we need is to figure out a way to promote them.”
Meanwhile, the school is calling for more financial support from the government to help beef up its cultural curriculum.
Then, Juten’s vocational students, steeped in Hakka culture, would also be well prepared for careers in the local tourism sector. (THN)