【Media Report】NSYSU’s First Graduate of the Indigenous Master’s Program! Thesis Explores Chayote Fern Production, Revealing a Heartwarming Story Behind the Research
NSYSU’s First Indigenous Executive Master’s Program Graduate! Master’s Thesis Explores Asparagus Fern Farming, Revealing a Heartwarming Story Behind It
Sanlih News / Life Center — Reported by Chen Tzu-Ling
▲ The first graduate of the Executive Master’s Program for Indigenous Peoples in the Department of Sociology at National Sun Yat-sen University is Humhum Ispalidav (Chinese name: Chou Hsiao-Feng), a Bunun indigenous person from Namasia District, Kaohsiung. (Photo: National Sun Yat-sen University)
The first graduate of the Executive Master’s Program for Indigenous Peoples in the Department of Sociology at National Sun Yat-sen University has officially graduated! The graduate is Humhum Ispalidav (Chinese name: Chou Hsiao-Feng), a Bunun indigenous person from Namasia District, Kaohsiung. Her master’s thesis, titled “A Preliminary Study on the Production and Marketing Relations of Asparagus Fern in the Indigenous Namasia Region of Kaohsiung City,” examines tribal economic issues from an indigenous community perspective. The thesis received high recognition from the review committee, allowing her to successfully obtain her master’s degree.
▲ Chou Hsiao-Feng successfully passed her master’s thesis defense with excellent results and earned a Master’s degree in Indigenous Studies from the Department of Sociology at National Sun Yat-sen University. (Photo: National Sun Yat-sen University)
National Sun Yat-sen University stated on the 23rd that on the day of her thesis defense, many local indigenous residents from Namasia wore traditional clothing and joined students from the Executive Master’s Program for Indigenous Peoples to show their support. Chou Hsiao-Feng also prepared asparagus fern, the subject of her research, to share with everyone.
She said that conducting research on her own tribal culture allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of her people’s culture through a perspective different from that of Han Chinese researchers. She also learned research methodologies and hopes to contribute to tribal policies, development, and community issues through her professional work in the future.
▲ Students from different indigenous groups attended the thesis defense. From the back row, the participants represented various ethnic groups, including Amis, Bunun, Rukai, Amis, Paiwan, Hla’alua, Bunun, Bunun (Chou Hsiao-Feng), Amis, and Paiwan peoples. (Photo: National Sun Yat-sen University)
The 38-year-old Chou Hsiao-Feng shared that she had long hoped to return to school for further education after years in the workplace. When the Executive Master’s Program for Indigenous Peoples opened admissions, she decided to apply because she enjoyed interacting with fellow indigenous people and admired the excellent faculty. She found the learning environment warm and welcoming while gaining broader knowledge about indigenous peoples and Austronesian cultures. The program’s Saturday classes also allowed her to balance her public service career and family responsibilities.
Chou explained that although her background is in social work, living in the tribal community helped her understand the importance of tribal economies. Therefore, she chose to study how the production and marketing of the long-term crop asparagus fern affects the development of the Namasia community.
She observed that over the past seven years, the cultivation area of asparagus fern in Namasia has expanded dramatically from less than one hectare to 50 hectares, making it the second-largest production area after Hualien. In the past, prices offered by Han Chinese wholesale buyers were generally low. However, after tribal residents successfully entered the wholesale market and gained greater control over their own production and marketing networks, their income became more stable and the tribal economy improved.
Professor Wang Hong-Zen of the Department of Sociology at National Sun Yat-sen University, who supervised her thesis, stated:
“Three years ago, National Sun Yat-sen University established the first Indigenous Executive Master’s Program among national universities in southern Taiwan. It is also one of the few prestigious universities in Taiwan offering such a program. Chou Hsiao-Feng’s graduation carries great significance.”
He noted that her research topic is closely connected to the economic development of indigenous communities. In the past, discussions on improving indigenous community economies rarely began from the experiences of local residents themselves. Her research highlights economic issues caused by ethnic differences, such as the fact that most wholesale buyers are Han Chinese, making it difficult for indigenous producers to enter existing production and marketing networks. Through in-depth local investigation, future policies can better respond to actual community needs.
▲ Chou Hsiao-Feng with her thesis advisor, Professor Wang Hong-Zen of the Department of Sociology at National Sun Yat-sen University. (Photo: National Sun Yat-sen University)
Professor Wang Hong-Zen further explained that Taiwanese society has often stereotyped indigenous peoples as being mainly associated with sports, recreation, or artistic and cultural fields. The Executive Master’s Program for Indigenous Peoples in the Department of Sociology aims to challenge such stereotypes and cultivate indigenous professionals capable of developing comprehensive public policies.
Current graduate research topics include Rukai tourism development, traditional song transmission, Paiwan inheritance systems, ethnobotanical studies, Bunun hunting and gender culture, Hla’alua language revitalization, Sakizaya cultural reconstruction between old and new traditions, and employment issues among urban indigenous peoples. These studies provide Taiwan with diverse perspectives on a wide range of social issues.
In response, many online commenters expressed their support, saying:
“Having ethnic identity and conducting in-depth academic research gives people a stronger voice.”
“This demonstrates the true value and significance of an executive master’s program—combining professional and personal experiences accumulated in society with academic training to produce research that integrates both theory and practice.”
“The more local, the more international.”
“The vitality of local communities, along with sincerity and perseverance, creates a truly moving story.”
“She is hardworking, compassionate, talented, and inspiring.”