Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan >Customs and Legends
Mayasvi
Mayasvi is the most well-known annual celebration of Taiwan’s Tsou people. It is held in villages such as Alishan on February 1st of the solar calendar. This festival contains the doctrines of many religions, and its meanings both abundant and profound in their prayer for victory in battle and unity between tribes. In Tsou tradition, the festival was held by the elders on date selected based on the result of "makavas". Decisions made would include whether a tribe hall was to be reconstructed or on how to react to great changes or challenges that had occurred.
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Mayasvi

The mayasvi war ceremony is a ceremony that involves the whole village and which asks the god of war to protect the warriors and encourages the people of the village give their all to protect the village. Prayers are offered to the god of war and god of heaven.

Alishan's Tsou Tribe's Mayasvi

Mayasvi – War Festival, can be known as the most well-known annual festival of the Alishan Tsou tribe. It compounded a number of rituals, with a very rich content, and a deep meaning of praying for victory and strengthening the tribe. In Tsou tradition, the elders will choose the date after the annual Homeyaya (millet harvest festival), considering factors such as hunting results, whether the kuba needs reconstruction, and situations that affect the tribe like natural disasters or other incidents.

Myth and Celebration

Mayasvi: This is the highlight of the Tsous’ festive calendar. Held every year after the Homeyaya, the site of this festival is the square right outside the men’s gathering place, or Kuba. Today, the Tapangu and Tfuya communities are the center of all Mayasvi celebrations. Mayasvi roughly translates as “Victory Ceremony”.

Knowledge Graph
Examples

1 The ‘Mayasvi’ or Ceremony of War and Triumph is the greatest event in the calendar of Taiwan’s Tsou people.

2 During the first weekend in March, I visited Tefuye Village in Alishan Township to watch the Mayasvi (Warring Ceremony) of the Tsou people.

3 The Mayasvi is the holiest of all the religious ceremonies of the Tsou tribe.