School: Hualien County Jianqing Elementary School
    Hualien County, Taiwan, Taiwan

6 students, ages 10-12 years old worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 25, 2007. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): n

Classes and Teachers: Mr. Shou-liang Hsu, Mr. De-lin Ai, and Ms. Shu-jun Hua

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://210.240.88.194/

1. Description of Our Community

Wanrong township is at central Hualien area,in the old time, the Truku is a migration tribe, they used to scatter in the remote mountains, it is very hard to find them, what's more, they live self-sufficient lives and are not good at communicate with other tribes, so the data from literature record is limited.

2. Summary of Our Project

Weaving is the most popular and most successful assets for Truku tribe to promote the culture industry. Although many tribe studios and outlanders have adopted the color matching and weaving technology, they have lost sight of the hardships that their forefathers have suffered when they collect the raw materials and few people understand the protophyte-ramie and the method and procedure to collect ramie yarn.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:21-50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:4-6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

Our school has adopted the optical high-speed network, so the students, teachers and the volunteers can upload their work and download data smoothly.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

The interview and experience objects are mainly the elder of the district, they are almost more than 65 years old, and they mainly use tribe language to talk with us, the students cannot understand them. For the tutors.During the interview, we have tried our best to record it with digital video camera and recording pen, and when we come back to dispose the data we would ask the parents and some elder who can speak mandarin for help. If the elder have described some items, positions or some operations, we would invite them to express it with body language or repetitive movements to strengthen our impressions.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

We all listen carefully to the tribe tales that the elder have told us. Some of the tales are solemn and stirring, some are beautiful and energetic, we would treasure all these treasures, the beauty of Taiwan is concealed in these tales. I am sure the students would surely carry forward the Truku data with their collection of data.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

Since we have fixed the subject, the tutors, community fellows and student volunteers have born the holy mission to uncover the mysterious Truku Weaving Culture, this whole process is the combination of the elder's wisdom, the documentary of the specialists, the school community and the information technology.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

(1) Telephone (2) Television (3) Camcorder and digital camera (4) Scanner (5) Record pen (6) Computer software:FrontPage 2003, PhotoImpact 8, EasyPHP+XoopsServer , ACDseePicture management , Midi manufacture software, CDex music convert to files software (7) Books, periodical articles (8) Field interview

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

We have interviewed the elder, the householders and the scholars of the community during the community interview. When the respondents have seen our earnest attitude, they would try their best to give us the answer, some of them have prepared the drinking and biscuits for us, and some have prepared the traditional pork blood soup, some have given us the beautiful handmade cellular phone bag and the pachyrhizus of modified race, these interviews have given us many sweet memories.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

Since we have visited Mrs. A-hsueh Liang Li, the school principal as well as the proprietor and the chairman of the community, we have moved them by our movement. Mrs. A-hsueh Liang Li have donated 150 ramie roots and we have strived for our land to plant ramie in the community, after our laborious weeding and digging, the ramie germinates, I feel very glad we could pass down the ramie weaving culture.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Our teacher have always said to us: 'In the future, when ramie grows up, we must invite the community elder to teach us weaving cultural course.' Although the harvest of ramie would still cost us a lot of time and energy, however as the members of New Aspen Culture Association and the pioneers to pass down culture, we would continue this activity. Only the community and school interact with each other, could we reserve the local culture.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

Many people would hold out until the last for their ideals, such as the tradition weaving elder we have interviewed, Mrs. Ching-hsiang Hu in charge of music collection and master Gariyi?Jihoh of Institute of Anthropology. They have a collective character, which is to stick to what one wants to do without any regret.