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Abstract
Why should we discuss post-war issues in present-day Taiwan? Because the post-war period is crucial for overcoming trauma, enabling survivors to continue living as humans and contributing to the construction of a peaceful future. In Asia, World War II also had an impact on the traditional territories of indigenous peoples in the east of the Central Mountain Range. This paper focuses on Gan Yao-ming's novel minBunun to revisit the post-war experiences of a certain Bunun tribe in that region. Set against the backdrop of the period from the governing of aborigines under Japanese colonial rule to the end of World War II, the novel outwardly reconstructs various conflicts that occurred at different historical periods, such as the Air Raid by the US Air Force and the Sancha Mountain Incident, illustrating how survivors navigate their lives and reshape themselves in the aftermath of war. Inwardly, the novel also explores the forbidden and pursued love of same-sex relationships through queer writing, interpreting the indigenous perspectives on same-sex love and capturing the diverse meanings of being a human in the post-war era. Drawing on Judith Butler's theories of the frames of war and post-war, this thesis examines the effects of frames of war on the formation of binary oppositions and adversarial positions during the war and explores how survivors confront the traumas left by war and seek the meaning of life in the post-war era. The study also employs queer theory to analyze Gan Yao-ming's portrayal of same-sex love, revealing the possibilities of same-sex emotions during the colonial period. Through textual analysis centered on minBunun and referencing Gan Yao-ming's other works, such as Killing Ghosts and The Bangcah Girl, this study examines the impact of the post-war era on common people and the growth path of trauma. It further explores the correspondence between Bunun mythology and the history of resistance against Japanese aggression, as well as the transformation into ethnic integration. The thesis discusses the challenges and mindset faced by individuals encountering death and survival during the World War II and post-war periods. Finally, it investigates Gan Yao-ming's queer writing in comparison with the works of Ma Yi-hang, Apyang Imiq and Huang Xi to understand same-sex love, exploring the soul's perspective on and the life value of surviving as a human and truly becoming one. Based on Gan Yao-ming's novel minBunun, this study identifies two significant findings. Firstly, there are four narrative characteristics: (1) Gan Yao-ming infuses the essence of Bunun mythology and taboos into the novel, demonstrating a high level of allegorical meanings; (2) The portrayal of post-war trauma is aestheticized; (3) Memories of war are revisited through the eyes of death; (4) The simple bond of love between two men. Secondly, the study identifies four cross-cutting themes: (1) The trauma in the post-war era; (2) Queer writing; (3) The meaning of life in surviving as a human; (4) The integration and coexistence of multiculturalism. In conclusion, within the broader framework of the post-war era, Gan Yao-ming weaves together multiple issues, including trauma and death, inter-ethnic relations, queer identities, and compassion, in his literary works, opening up possibilities for a deeper understanding of life.
Keywords: Post-war, Gan Yao-ming, historical novel, minBunun, Bunun, queer writing, Sancha Mountain Incident, trauma.
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