A delegation from the Hakka community in Taiping, Biankeng, Taichung, Taiwan showcased their traditional craft of “Taiping Indigo” at the “Blue Dragon in Green: New York Craft Cultural Exchange Exhibition” held in New York from May 9 to 14. The event was jointly organized by the Greater New York Hakka Association and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with the opening ceremony taking place at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. The award-winning Taiping Indigo team, known for their exquisite craftsmanship in Hakka indigo dyeing, personally attended the event to share their skills with the guests.
The opening ceremony, presided over by Ye Jin-yu, Chairman of the Water Source Culture and Education Foundation, featured a reading of congratulatory messages from Lin Chia-lung, Secretary-General of the Presidential Office. Ye Jin-yu delivered a speech titled “Hakka Indigo Dyeing Connecting with the World,” sharing the team’s efforts in community building and reconstruction in Biankeng, Taiping, Taichung, following the devastating 921 earthquake. Their dedication to establishing the community industry of Taiping Hakka indigo dyeing has not only rejuvenated the local community but has also contributed significantly to Taiwan’s Hakka communities and cultural and creative industries.
In addition to the “Blue Dragon in Green” exhibition, workshops were also organized with Taiping Indigo’s three designers – Yeh Guan-lei, Jiang Jie-yu, and Zhan Ya-wen – leading hands-on activities and experiential sessions for the audience.
Teik C. Lim, President of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, expressed a warm welcome to the Taiping Indigo craft team, highlighting that it was the first time the institute hosted a craft exhibition and activities from Taiwan.
Chang Chun-yu, Deputy Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, who is also of Hakka descent, introduced Taiwanese Hakka culture and traditions to the audience. He praised the success of the Taiping Indigo team in blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary innovation, allowing more Americans and Taiwanese expatriates to appreciate the beauty of Taiwan’s Hakka culture.
Vice President Koo Cheng-yu of the National Taiwan Ocean University, Director Zhang Hui-jun of the Taipei Cultural Center in New York, and President Chung Ai-lin of the Greater New York Hakka Association were among the distinguished guests at the opening ceremony.
The Greater New York Hakka Association, one of the organizers of the event, announced that the Taiping Indigo exhibition, lectures, and workshops scheduled for May 11 and 12 at the Overseas Chinese Culture and Education Service Center have generated tremendous interest, with registrations already fully booked.