Department Introduction
Changing with the times, Taiwanese Indigenous Peoples have gradually realized the importance of preserving ethnic heritage; therefore, under the suggestions of indigenous leaders and people with insights from all aspects, the government started establishing the Outdoor Museum of Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park. In 1976, the Taiwan Provincial Government initialed to establish an "aboriginal cultural village" that aims to "preserve and maintain indigenous heritage, provide academic research and communication, act the role of education in social development, and collaborate with the development of the tourism business." After the onsite surveys carried by experts and scholars who were invited by the Department of Civil Affairs, Taiwan Provincial Government as well as evaluating conditions of different places throughout the province, the project name was confirmed to be the "Taiwan Aboriginal Cultural Park" in March 1980; and, the Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica was entrusted to make an overall plan; also, a functional committee consisting of academic, administrative, and indigenous leaders was established to actively track progress of the project. In 1986, the "Taiwan Aboriginal Cultural Park Administration" was established in 1986, and it was subordinate to the Department of Civil Affairs, Taiwan Provincial Government. It started official operation the next year. In 1994, the 5th Constitutional Amendments revised the wording "Shandi (means aboriginal)" to "Yuan-Zhu-Min (means indigenous people)"; therefore, the name of the organization was changed to the "Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park Administration." On July 1, 1997, it became the subordination of the Indigenous Peoples Affairs Committee of Taiwan Provincial Government, and the name was changed to "Administration Bureau of Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park." After the provincial government was downsized on July 1, 1999, it became the subordination of the Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan" and the name was changed to "Administration Bureau of Indigenous Cultural Park, Executive Yuan," which was changed to " Department of Indigenous Cultural Park, Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan" under the order of Executive Yuan on March 25, 2002. On January 15, 2016, the department was reorganized and renamed as the "Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center, Council of Indigenous Peoples," which has still been subordinate to the Council of Indigenous Peoples." It is hoped to constantly accumulate the capability of cultural interpretation through the existence of a public themed cultural park; with experiencing the intellectual journey of culture, people nationwide and worldwide can understand and respect Taiwanese indigenous culture.