Amis people, Taiwan

This is one of my favourite received official cards in the last few months. Not only because it's a very nice card, but also because the sender, Tina, really put effort into it. She sent the card in an envelope because she had written SO much on the card, and even included an extra note. It's all super cute and decorated with pretty stickers, AND she used several gorgeous stamps on the envelope, as well as a pretty rubber stamped tea pot. It's all very, very sweet - such a treat! :)


TW-220038

The Amis are an indigenous people of Taiwan. They speak Amis, an Austronesian language and are one of the thirteen officially recognized peoples of Taiwanese aborigines. The traditional territory of the Amis include the long, narrow valley between the Central Mountains and the Coastal Mountains, the Pacific coastal plain eastern to the Coastal Mountains, and the Hengchun Peninsula.

In the year 2000 the Ami numbered 148,992. This was approximately 37.5% of Taiwan's total indigenous population, making them the largest tribal group. The Amis are primarily fishermen due to their coastal location. They are traditionally matrilineal. Traditional Amis villages were relatively large for indigenous groups, typically between 500 and 1,000. In today's Taiwan, the Amis also comprise the majority of "urban aboriginals" and have developed many "urban tribes" all around the island.



..and here are the stamps. So many and so pretty! I wish I could create envelopes like this, too.. *sigh* Anyway. The stamp on top left is from a set of 4 stamps issued in 2009, with the theme Kinmen panorama. The stamp underneath it is from a set of 3 definitives issued in 1999, showing Fruits. The bird stamp in the middle is from a set of 4 stamps issued in 2008, representing birds. This one is the Bronzed Drongo. The two stamps next to it are from a set of 4 stamps issued in 2009 with the theme 'Children', and the stamp underneath those is from a set of 4 flower stamps issued earlier this year.

Australia

I've swapped a few more postcards with Heather in Australia - her cards are SO beautiful, and I love the stamps she uses as well. :) This has got to be one of my favourite postcards from her, I just love the atmosphere in this card!



The postcard shows two aboriginal sisters, don't they look happy and cute?! It makes me miss my sister... I only have one sister, but she's truly wonderful and I really miss her. I'm going to Finland for two weeks in August, I really can't wait. It'll be SO good to see my family and friends again! I haven't been there for about a year and a half now...



Back to the postcard... The stamps are great as usual. The one one the left was issued earlier this year and commemorates the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. The stamp in the middle was issued this year, too, and comes from a set of 5 stamps with the title "Come to the Show". These stamps highlight the agriculture and royal shows that form part of the Australian calendar each year. Finally, the stamp on the right (issued this year, too) is from a set of 2 stamps with the theme Australian Commonwealth Coinage 1910-2010.