Entangled Indigeneity on The Urban Margin: Three Stories About Amis' Lifeworld and Their Animal Kin in Contemporary Taiwan

Dr. Yi-tze Lee will explore the cultural and environmental connections of the indigenous Amis people of Taiwan, focusing on their interactions with animal kin such as pigs, birds, and fish. Drawing from his research and recent publication
(Environmental Shift in the Entangled Anthropocene: Use of Birds in Amis Ritual Practices of Taiwan, UBC Press, 2024), this lecture delves into Amis rituals and ceremonies, their adaptation to modern environmental governance, and the broader implications for human-species relationships in an urbanized context.
The talk will feature three unique stories: The use of pigs in funerary rituals during COVID-19. The interplay of bird hunting for ceremonies and animal protection laws. Amis fishing strategies amidst changing river environments.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Yi-tze Lee earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2012. He is currently an Associate Professor at National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan, where he served as department chair from 2021–2024. His research focuses on indigenous revitalization, food sovereignty, ritual performance, and multispecies networks.
Dr. Lee’s work has been widely published, including contributions to Feathered Entanglements (UBC Press, 2024) and Environmental Teachings for the Anthropocene (2020).