The technique of making banana silk yarn, a craft that is exclusive to the aboriginal Kavalan tribe, has been designated as an intangible cultural heritage of Taiwan’s Hualien County, according to a report by the state-run Central News Agency. The Kavalan people are the only aboriginal tribe in Taiwan that has the expertise to make fabric from banana plants, a skill that has been passed down from one generation to another. According to tribal folklore, banana fibre was adopted for use as an alternative to sisal to make fabric because bananas could be grown all year round. Thanks to a group of women in the Shinshe settlement in Fengbin in Hualien County, this tribal craft is being preserved. The fabric that they make is displayed at the Lalaban handicraft shop that was set up in Shinshe by the Hualien Kavalan Development Association in 2005. The popular souvenir shop brings new creativity to the traditional craft and sells not only fabric and clothing, but also stationery and household decorations, made from banana fibre, the report said. The banana plant fabric has been designated as intangible cultural heritage of the region by the county government.
