An Investigation on the Distributions of Population and Altitude of Habitation of the Formosan Aborigines

Abstract

The greater part of the population of Formosa, which amounts to 4460000, are Formosans, who are descendants of immigrants from the Chinese continent during the past three centuries. All the savages or aborigines, the population of which is about 140000, and who are ethnologically Protomalayan or Indonesian, are believed to be the descendants of the very early immigrants from the South Seas or from southeastern Asia, who arrived in groups as far back as during the stone age. The aborigines of Formosa are divided into eight groups or tribes; Taiyal, Saisyat, Bunun, Tsou, Paiwan, Pyuma, Ami, and Yami, each differing from the others in stock, physical characteristics, dialects and habits. Besides, these aborigines, there are the semicivilized savages known as Peipohuans, the population of which is estimated at about 52000, and who live under the ordinary administration in the districts peopled by the Formosans, having lost their own languages and habits. In the present investigation, the Peipohuans are omitted owing to lack of exact data regarding their population, only the above mentioned eight tribes being treated. After the Musha incident of 1930, as an official policy, the settlements of the savages were removed to great distances, with the result that the authors investigations concerning their population and altitude of habitations, are based on data for 1929. For the purpose of examinig the distribution of the density of population, the author constructed the following four kinds of distribution map. Fig. 4 is a map showing the distribution of all the settlements, the population of each of which was divided into the following five groups, namely, 2000. Fig. 5 is a map showing the density of population per 16 sq km; fig. 6 that showing the density of population per 64 sq km, being divided into the following five groups, namely, 3000. Fig. 7 is a map showing the iso-density of population based on fig. 5, the data being divided into the following three groups, namely, 1000. From a regional examination of the population density by means of the four maps just mentioned, it is clear that the plains on the eastern coast are the most densely populated, followed by the western slope of the Central mountains lying south of Mt. Chipon. Upon examining the density of population according to the various tribes, the Ami and Pyuma tribes in the plains of the eastern coast take first place, with rather large settlements not rarely holding populations of over 1000, and, sometimes, over 2000. Next comes the Paiwan tribe, in the southern part of the island. Of all the mountain tribes, this tribe, whose culture is the highest among the aborigines, have the densest population; Kunanau, one of their settlements having a population of 1690. The regions occupied by the Taiyal, Saisyat, and Tsou tribes are not so densely populated, that of the Bunun tribe, who occupy the central mountain region being especially so. For the purpose of investigating the altitudinal distribution of settlements, the author made two kinds of distribution maps. Fig. 9 is a map showing the altitudinal distribution of the aborigines, divided into the following six groups, namely, of 100m, 100-500m, 500-1000m, 1000-1500m, 1500-2000m, and >2000m. The upper limit of habitation is shown in Fig. 9, the height of which is represented by the highest altitude of the settlements per mesh of 16 sq km, and arranged in the same order as in fig. 8. Upon examining the altitudinal distribution regionally, we find that settlements situated at heights of less than loom are, without exception, restricted to the eastern coast of the island.