[Gorgeous Colorful Rainbow: The Beauty and Sorrow of Indigenous People`s Health]

Abstract

Residing across this island for over 8,000 years, Taiwan`s indigenous people represent the world`s northernmost population of Austronesian islanders. Although Taiwan`s more than 500,000 indigenous citizens today account for only 0.11% of the 300 million Austronesians worldwide, Taiwan and Taiwan`s long-thriving Austronesian culture played an indispensable role in the historical migrations of ancient Austronesian peoples from Mainland Asia and their proliferation throughout the Pacific (Council on Indigenous Peoples, n.d.). The cultural diversity of Taiwan`s indigenous people allowed their many ethnic groups to adapt to the island`s climatic and environmental diversity, ranging from high, temperate mountains to tropical coastlines, for thousands of years. These groups have adapted well to local conditions, developing living habits, livelihood patterns, life customs, and ceremonies suited to their lives. Traditional wisdom and knowledge, like a colorful rainbow, have shone from ancient times up through the present and are woven deeply through the unique life values of the 16 ethnic tribal groups on Taiwan Island. However, the modernization and transformation of Taiwan`s economy during the past three decades have left indigenous citizens significantly behind mainstream society in many important aspects, including average lifespan, income, education level, and access to medical resources, with mainstream society enjoying more social advantages and a longer average life span (Health Promotion Administration, 2017). Thus, social determinants have promoted various inequalities in health, and the rainbow is no longer beautiful under the impact of modern values. The inequitable distribution of healthcare resources and inadequate human resources have cast a shadow of sadness over this originally beautiful rainbow. Some scholars have raised the cultural security model as a possible framework for formulating policies and regulations to protect the health rights of disadvantaged groups (Coffin, 2007). Using knowledge and values to emphasize cultural safety in the health field and cultural awareness holds the potential of reversing the role of traditional wisdom and knowledge transmitters to gain a deep understanding of the health needs of ethnic groups and of implementing related strategies in acute, chronic, and long-term medical care. This issue is rooted in the current, inequitable deployment of long-term care resources and provision of policy recommendations. In this paper, we discuss strategies for considering and actualizing the main concerns and priorities of ethnic groups, cultivating long-term care 2.0 cultural safety seed tutors, and employing ethnically indigenous nurses in their hometowns / communities. Furthermore, in terms of caring for minorities, we also discuss the long-term care needs of disadvantaged groups such as individuals with mental health needs to achieve the goal of holistic care. We look forward to seeing the bright and colorful rainbow once again. From systemic, educational, and practice perspectives, we will jointly promote public health for all and work to let the beauty of the rainbow surpass the traces of sorrow.