The recent mainland release of Taiwanese film Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale has reignited discussions about Japan's 50-year colonial occupation of the Taiwan region, particularly through its depiction of the 1930 Musha Incident. This indigenous-led uprising against Japanese forces – where 134 fighters perished – serves as a visceral reminder of systemic oppression under imperial rule.
Historical records reveal Japan's “Taiwan for Agriculture, Japan for Industry” policy enabled widespread resource extraction, with fertile lands forcibly converted to sugarcane plantations and rice shipments diverted to feed Japan's population. Local mineral resources like Jinguashih gold reserves were systematically plundered. Jiang Liping of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League estimates over 650,000 Taiwan residents died from massacres, forced labor, and famine during this period.
Japan's cultural assimilation campaigns mandated Japanese surnames and emperor worship while suppressing local traditions. During WWII, the colonial administration conscripted Taiwan residents into paramilitary units like the Takasago Volunteers, deploying them as frontline combatants in Pacific theaters. Many remains were later enshrined at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine against victims' wishes.
This reckoning comes as cross-strait scholars emphasize the importance of historical accuracy in understanding contemporary relations. While the film has sparked dialogue about colonial trauma, it also highlights indigenous communities' enduring resilience against cultural erasure.
