The Feathers

(pic) A flight feather of an immature Mountain Hawk-Eagle

The Mountain Hawk-Eagle feathers that are of the highest and second highest quality are called palic and maruadubu, respectively, in the Paiwanese language.

• “palic” refers to the longest primary flight feathers with a notch. These feathers usually fall between the 5^th to 7^th primaries (P5-P7) on the wings. The elders believe that the word “palic” holds the meaning of “twisting,” “I am therefore my people gather round,” and “root.” Although the statement given by the interviewees differs slightly, it is quite clear that the underlying meaning of “palic” is related to the noble status and responsibility of the chief family - “vusam mamazangiljan.”

• “maruatubu” refers to the innermost primaries (P1-P5) and the secondaries (S1-S10). The word literally means “as white as papers,” referring to the light-shaded color that dominates the appearance of the maruatubu feathers.

How the palic and maruatubu feathers are worn differs through space and time. In ancient time, “palic” was worn by chiefs of the highest ranking in the northern Paiwanese tribes; “maruatubu” was worn by chiefs of the second highest ranking₁. In the middle region, “maruatubu” was worn by the male of the highest ranking (aka the chief), and the female member of the highest ranking wore the under-tail covert feathers of Mountain Hawk-Eagles. Till this day, the convention of different regions has converged to the same, where the male of the highest ranking wears “palic” and the female of the highest ranking wears “maruatubu.”

₁ A Paiwanese tribe has three chiefs of different rankings. The chief and the chief’s family of the highest ranking is referred to as “vusam mamazangiljan” and the second as “mamazangiljan.”