Eleng Luluan: ‘Ngialibalibade – to the Lost Myth’

Created for Liverpool Biennial 2023, ‘Ngialibalibade – to the Lost Myth’, a continuation of the series ‘Ali sa be sa be’, is inspired by the artist’s memory of growing up in the indigenous Kucapungane community, a Rukai aboriginal village in the mountains of southern Taiwan.

In the Rukai language ‘Ngialibalibade’ means ‘a happening’ or ‘a state of going through’ . It is an adjective that describes the growth of life, the transformation of the soul, the change in nature, the rapid development of technology, the noticeable changes in life, or the subtle ones hiding in our hearts.  Landslides and typhoons are common in the Rukai region and are increasing in frequency due to climate change. These natural disasters often cause the communities and families based there to become displaced, each time uprooting the villagers’ lives and negatively impacting their cultures and traditions.

Legend says that the founder of Rukai was born from a pottery jar protected by two snakes and has become a symbol of new life. The artist, inspired by this legend, has turned the jar into a giant, sacred vessel. Through using hand-woven fishing nets and placing the work between two bodies of water – the Mersey River and Princes Dock – Eleng asks us to consider our relationship and reliance on water, and to reflect on the devastating impact of climate change here and around the world.

Commissioned by Liverpool Biennial, with support from The Alliance Cultural Foundation, Council of Indigenous Peoples in Taiwan, Liverpool BID Company, Ministry of Culture, Taiwan (R.O.C.) and Asian Cultural Council, Taiwan Foundation South 33 Branch.

Courtesy of the artist. With thanks to Liverpool Waters, Peel Group.