Taiwan Church News

3802 Edition

Jan 6 ~ 12, 2025

Weekly Topical

Payuan Picture Book Launched to Preserve Indigenous Cultures and Proclaim Good News

Reported by Lin Wan-ting from Pintung

Supported by Education Ministry Committee of Payuan presbytery, a picture book titled as “Love and Courage – Kiljivak katua Rakac” and written in indigenous Payuan language, was launched at Kulaljuc Church in the morning on January 4.

The picture book launched in 2024 is also deemed as a gift for celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Payuan presbytery. Based on Payuan legends and its ancient tribal stories collected and compiled for several years, the picture book is illustrated by Ms Aruwai Madjiling and published by Taiwan Church Press.

At the book-launch service, Rev Ljegean Tudalimaw, general secretary of Payuan presbytery, remarked “the picture books is a proof to break recent lies, fabricated by indigenous congresswoman Gao Jin Su-mei, [that the PCT is grafting the public sector’s educational fund for the indigenous people to patronize its own local churches.]”

“In fact, the PCT has worked hard to help preserve the indigenous cultures and languages for decades, and yet without receiving any funding from the government,” Rev Ljegean Tudalimaw said.

Facing KMT’s brutal mandarine policy in the era of military rulings, Rev Ljegean Tudalimaw indicated, Rev. John Neville Whitehorn served the Payuan people in mother tongue of the Payuan people, and specially edited Payuan hymnals with romanized phonetic alphabets.

“Up to now, the Payuan presbytery continues to promote the translation of Payuan Bible and a revision of Payuan hymnal. And the picture book, as a new ministry of Payuan church in 21st century, marks a milestone of our mission,” she said.

She recalled that in 2017, when the Payuan presbytery drafted a white paper for a 5 years’ plan at the mission conference, many Sunday School teachers were particularly invited to share and discuss the children’s ministry at an open space conference.

“At that time, it was proposed to publish Sunday school textbook or picture book featured with the indigenous culture of the Paiwan people,” she recalled, “and that vision has finally come true!”

Regarding the features of the picture book, Rev Ljegean Tudalimaw indicated, not only the picture book in Payuan mother tongue can circulate wide to influence tribal families, the parent-child guidance and faith summary attached in the appendix can also help proclaim the good news.

Rev Saljaqelet Pavavaljung, moderator of Payuan presbytery, gave his thanksgiving to its Education Ministry Committee for a diligent planning, beautiful editing and excellent publication, as well as the enthusiastically engagement of Payuan pastors and co-workers. “I sincerely hope that more people can understand the language, culture and ancient tribal stories of the Payuan people through this picture books,” she said.

Rev Rii Taljimaraw, education secretary of the PCT Indigenous Mission Committee, said “tribal elders used to pass the ancient stories and ethnic experiences in an oral expression. And now, in Sunday School, children can listen to stories, hear the word of God, and understand indigenous cultures through the picture book.”

She encouraged Sunday School teachers could become more inspired and confident to lead tribal children to the Word of God via wonderful indigenous stories, proverbs and sayings, including picture book and etc.

Rev Giljiljaw Rarangalj, pastor of Timur Church, who has been involved in Payuan presbytery’s educational ministry for a long period of time, shared that this picture book project originated in 2002.

“At that time, chatting with some church co-workers, he just wished Sunday School textbooks could be edited from a cultural viewpoint of the Payuan people, so that children could learn more naturally,” he recalled.

“The process of collecting and editing the picture book has bumped into many challenges, as the related data and files has been sealed up in the computer for a long time. If it’s not due to the 60th anniversary of the Payuan Mission comes near, the text could not have the opportunity to be retrieved, revised, amended, and especially proofread to make different tribal versions of stories integrated to its greatest extent,” Rev Giljiljaw Rarangalj said.

Ms Arawai Madjiling explained the nuances of the picture book: its creative insights and visual arrangement, including an invisible but resilient link between indigenous cultures, mother tongues, and the Christian faith. “In the meantime the picture book wish to truly showcase daily lives characteristic of the Payuan people,” she said “I hope readers will like them.”

There are three stories in “Love and Courage – Kiljivak katua Rakac” : , and . Ms Gao Yun-ruh of Kulaljuc Church, and Ms Yang Mei-lian, deacon of Kulaljuc Church and director of Wu-Tan Primary School were both invited to read the picture book aloud in Payuan mother tongue and showcase how to teach these stories in Sunday School.

At the end of the new book launch, Rev Ljegean Taljvadang pointed out in her summary that the picture book is not only suitable for the children in Sunday School, but also for students, social youth and elders. She invites all churches to support, promote and actively apply it in the church ministries.

Translated by Peter Wolfe