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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Indigenous priest Api Renget of the Amis people passed away on June 29 at the age of 86.
According to a Ministry of Culture (MOC) press release on Thursday (July 4), Api was an Amis “sikawasay” (priest) from Hualien who dedicated her life to preserving Amis shamanic traditions.
Api Renget was born in 1939 and came from a family of three generations who served as tribal priests, per CNA. She became a priest in her 30s and reportedly never missed a ceremony.
Over the course of her long life, Api conducted rituals for the tribe and worked to preserve its culture. In 2009, Hualien County Government recognized her as “the preserver of spiritual rituals of the Amis” in Lidaw village.
The MOC explained that in the Amis language, “sikawsay” means “spirit bearer” or “one with the spirits.” The ministry praised Api for her efforts to preserve Amis culture and said it would continue to help document the tribe’s cultural heritage.
SOURCE: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5899759