In this project, most first-hand information is from the Yuan Sheng International Academy interview. To determine the value of our project, we sent out surveys to the public. We received 187 survey responses regarding Taiwanese Indigenous and the public’s background knowledge of Vox Nativa Association Taiwan.
Among the 187 valid responses, 23.5% were male, 72.2% were female, and 3.5% preferred not to disclose their gender. The respondents' biological sex showed no direct connection with their answers.
This survey included respondents from various age groups, enhancing its reliability and validity.
The age distribution is as follows:
31 respondents were under 14 years old.
53 were between 14 and 20 years old.
9 were between 20 and 30 years old.
15 were between 30 and 40 years old.
57 were between 40 and 50 years old.
15 were between 50 and 60 years old.
7 were over 60 years old.
Notably, respondents aged 40 to 50 and 14 to 20 accounted for more than half of the total sample. Since the survey was distributed through community members, it is likely that the 14-to-20-year-old respondents were peers of similar age, while the 40-to-50-year-old group primarily consisted of parents who helped circulate the survey.
Having respondents with diverse educational backgrounds enriches our project by introducing a wider range of ideas and perspectives.
In our survey, most respondents held a middle school education (38%) and a university degree (28.9%). The notably high percentage of those with a middle school education is likely attributable to our distribution of the survey via school email. Given their varying educational levels and experiences, respondents are inclined to offer different viewpoints and insights on the same issues.
Among the respondents, there were 92 students (approximately 49.2%), whose age distribution mirrors that of the overall sample—likely a result of distributing the survey via school email. Additionally, aside from those in the transportation sector and public service, respondents represented a wide range of professions, thereby enabling us to capture diverse perspectives and insights.
The correct answer is 16 recognized Taiwanese Indigenous groups. However, only 64.2% of respondents answered correctly, indicating that a portion of the public still lacks awareness of Taiwanese Indigenous. This further underscores the value and significance of our project in promoting a better understanding of these communities within the local society.
In our survey, we provided a list of 16 Indigenous groups, allowing respondents to select those they were familiar with based on their personal experiences. Notably, the Amis were recognized by 90.4% of respondents, the highest proportion among the groups. In contrast, the Hla’alua and Kanakanavu were recognized by only 11.5% and 13.9% of respondents, respectively, making them the least recognized options. We speculate that this disparity in recognition is linked to the population sizes of each group. According to our research, the Amis are the largest indigenous group with a population of approximately 210,000, whereas the Kanakanavu number only around 400, making them the smallest. These findings indicate that population size indirectly influences public familiarity with different indigenous groups.
Note: “Tatoo” was mistakenly included twice due to translation issues and is not considered in the analysis.
Based on the data, over 90% of respondents selected both dance and festivals, while more than 80% chose weaving, folk songs, and hunting. Respondents generally view dance and festivals as the most representative and prominent aspects of Taiwan’s indigenous culture. This prominence is likely due to their high visibility at public events, whereas folk songs and weaving reflect the traditional methods through which Indigenous communities convey their cultural heritage. In conclusion, respondents possess a preliminary understanding of indigenous culture, recognizing both the visually and aurally engaging elements (such as dance and music) as well as the traditional lifestyle skills (such as hunting and weaving).
Among the respondents, the most selected option was that there are relatively fewer learning resources, chosen by 69% of participants. Following this, approximately 60% of respondents selected both “less development compared to urban areas” and “insufficient resources.” The survey results indicate that the majority perceive Indigenous communities as having limited learning resources, which they link to disparities in regional development and overall resource inadequacy. Additionally, about 57% identified “cultural conflict” as a concern—likely due to Taiwan’s mainstream education system having long centered on Han culture, resulting in curricula, teaching methods, and values that differ significantly from indigenous traditions.
Among the four response options, "Needs Improvement" was chosen by 46% of respondents. This suggests that nearly half of the participants believe Taiwan's efforts to support Indigenous communities require further enhancement to achieve the goal of fairness and justice. This perspective aligns with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 10: Reduce Inequality and Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. Additionally, the Taiwanese government has implemented legal measures to support indigenous peoples, including the Education Act for Indigenous Peoples. In this context, 29.4% of respondents acknowledged that these policies have provided tangible benefits to indigenous communities.
In alignment with Question 9, this question delves deeper into the specific shortcomings of current policies. The most commonly selected areas for improvement were increasing financial support and enhancing educational support, both chosen by 69.5% of respondents. Additionally, while nearly 30% of respondents in Question 9 acknowledged that government policies have helped indigenous communities, only 5.9% in this question felt no improvements were needed. Furthermore, 49.2% believed that indigenous-related laws require strengthening, indicating that a portion of the public still holds expectations for further enhancement and refinement of the existing policies.
Vox Nativa Taiwan is one of the key targets of our research, aiming to improve indigenous education and promote related initiatives. This question was designed to better identify respondents who have a preliminary understanding of the association, allowing us to further explore the public's perceptions and familiarity with the organization. Notably, 61.5% of respondents had never heard of the association, highlighting the value of our research and the significance of promoting the association’s efforts.
Among the 61.5% of respondents who were screened, 62.5% had heard of the Indigenous Children’s Choir’s performances. However, 37.5% of respondents had not, suggesting that they may be familiar with other initiatives of the association, such as school-related programs. This further emphasizes that the association is not solely confined to the "Indigenous Choir" but encompasses a broader range of efforts.
The most frequently selected channels were news reports, online searches, and social media. With the widespread availability of the internet and the common use of smartphones, all three channels provide digital access to information. This highlights the significant role of technology in increasing public awareness, making it an effective tool for the association to promote its initiatives and achievements. Consequently, this can help draw greater public attention and elevate Indigenous education as an important social issue.
A total of 77.8% of respondents selected "choir," highlighting the association's emphasis on and promotion of its choir program. Additionally, 69.4% recognized the association's efforts in advancing education. Furthermore, 48.6% and 47.2% of respondents chose "teaching Indigenous children" and "providing quality education," respectively—both of which are education-related aspects. This further reflects public perceptions and awareness of the association’s mission and initiatives.
Approximately 52.8% of respondents indicated that they had seen the association online, which aligns with the findings from Question 13 and underscores the effectiveness of the association's online promotional efforts. Additionally, 29.2% of respondents were uncertain about their impression of the association, likely reflecting the subset of respondents (19.8%) who had heard of the association but were not very familiar with it.
This question was a multiple-select item in which we surveyed the public's views on the association's related SDGs, all of which align with its mission and programs. In the results, an impressive 83.3% of respondents selected "4. Quality Education," indicating that the public widely perceives the association as dedicated to enhancing and promoting Indigenous education. Additionally, 61.1% chose "10. Reduce Inequality," highlighting that the association's efforts to promote Indigenous equality are well recognized. Only 1.4% felt that the association did not align with the SDG indicators, suggesting that the vast majority see its mission and initiatives as consistent with the SDGs, contributing not only to improved educational quality but also to the advancement of equality and social justice.
In this question, we used a Likert scale to measure the public's level of concern for Indigenous education, where 5 represents "very concerned" and 1 represents "not very concerned." The responses were distributed as follows: 38.5% chose 1 (not very concerned), 23% chose 2 (slightly concerned), 29.4% chose 3 (neutral), 8% chose 4 (concerned), and only 1.1% chose 5 (very concerned), which was the lowest percentage among the options. Based on these distributions, over 60% of respondents appear to have a low level of concern regarding indigenous education in their everyday lives. This further emphasizes the significance of our project—to raise awareness of the association and the educational issues faced by Taiwanese Indigenous people.
Excluding the minority options (each accounting for 0.5%), the results of this multiple-choice question were evenly distributed, with roughly 60% across the board when rounded. This indicates a diversity of opinions regarding the preservation of indigenous languages, which will be valuable in formulating more comprehensive and varied recommendations for future improvements and solutions.
This question utilized a Likert scale to assess the public’s willingness to support Indigenous education and cultural promotion through personal action, with 5 indicating "very willing" and 1 indicating "not willing." The response distribution was as follows:
Not willing (1): 10.2%
Somewhat not willing (2): 12.8%
Neutral (3): 36.4%
Willing (4): 27.8%
Very willing (5): 12.8%
Most respondents (36.4%) chose a neutral stance, suggesting that most are currently ambivalent about actively supporting indigenous education and cultural initiatives. This may indicate that many have yet to take more proactive measures, or they perceive their actions as having limited impact at this stage.
In conclusion, these findings highlight the need to further promote the indigenous association and its educational efforts, encouraging the public to move from neutrality toward more active support.
