Betel Nut, Magic and Baseball: A Case Study of Puyuma Tribe in Taiwan

Abstract

Despite considerable research being done on Taiwanese aborigines and baseball, no study has been undertaken on magic and baseball in regard to specific indigenous ethnic groups. This article examines the extent to which betel nuts were used as a vehicle for the expression of human relationships with the supernatural in baseball. The Puyuma, renowned for practicing black magic, have always been accused, in particular, by the Amis, of casting evil spells on the ballpark to achieve their own ends, such as winning. Empirical materials have been drawn from fieldwork in Taidong, where in-depth interviews were conducted with coaches and players from the Amis, Puyuma, Bunun and Han Chinese groups. Additional sporadic secondary sources have also been drawn on. The author argues that in spite of the discovery of betel nuts buried in the ballpark, there is no solid evidence of malicious intent by the Puyuma. Moreover, the betel-nut-spell practice corresponds with the intellectualist perspective that magic has gradually died out, since it contradicts the basic principle of baseball, namely, scientific training.