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Under the wave of multiculturalism and efforts of the indigenous people's movement, indigenous peoples were included in the constitution, and the state officially recognized them as a national ethnic group. Subsequently, various policies concerning indigenous peoples were formulated. The first policy specifically dedicated to indigenous peoples in Taiwan, which this article primarily explores, is the "Education Act for Indigenous Peoples." The "Education Act for Indigenous Peoples" was formally implemented in 1998, following the context of multiculturalism at that time, and it underwent two full revisions: one in 2004 and the second in 2019. The birth of the "Education Act for Indigenous Peoples" not only allowed the country to have a guideline for indigenous education but also served as a means to examine the relationship between the state and the indigenous peoples through the realization of indigenous education rights specified in the law.
Different periods of government teams, historical contexts, and societal values have led to varying perspectives and imaginations about indigenous peoples. In the 1990s, when discussing the "Education Act for Indigenous Peoples" in the legislature of Taiwan , each proposal report emphasized "multiculturalism" as the main theme. However, the term "indigenous peoples" was relatively "new" in the societal context at that time. The long-standing approach of the state to "care for" and "protect" vulnerable ethnic groups can easily be found in the 1998 version of the "Education Act for Indigenous Peoples." It was not until the revised 2019 version of the act that the principles of multiculturalism were more thoroughly incorporated, and the subjectivity of indigenous peoples was emphasized in educational policies.
From past paternalistic protection by the state to the current empowerment, the amendments to the "Education Act for Indigenous Peoples" reflect the changing relationship between the government and indigenous peoples. By comparing the two versions of the "Education Act for Indigenous Peoples," we can also observe the shifts in the discourse of multiculturalism in 1998 and 2019, as well as changes in the definition of multiculturalism in our country. Additionally, the emphasis on the subjectivity of indigenous peoples and their right to self-determination highlights the evolution of indigenous rights in our country.
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