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Tony Coolidge is a man fascinated by his lineage. When his mother died in 1995, Coolidge became curious about where he came from, and this preoccupation eventually led him on a journey to get in touch with his ancestors who are part of a native Taiwanese tribe. Coolidge, accompanied by UCF photographer/filmmakers Chris Bremer and Aaron Hose, visited Taiwan in order to help preserve the culture of this indigenous tribe.
They came back to the U.S. with documentary footage of Taiwan's people, including still photographs of the tribesmen, all currently on display at the Scott Laurent Gallery in Winter Park.
The photographic series, "Time in a Disappearing World," focuses on vanishing indigenous cultures of Taiwan, including Coolidge's tribe, Atayal. These photographs make up an integral part of the accompanying, feature-length documentary called "Voices In the Clouds" which is currently in the post-production stage.
Although Coolidge, his brother Steven, Bremer and Hose traveled to Taiwan to gather information about vanishing indigenous cultures, the journey was also an attempt by Tony and Steven to reconnect with the spirit of their late mother.
"Time in a Disappearing World" pays homage to the strength and beauty of indigenous women of Taiwan. The series focuses specifically on women, mainly because they are the oldest living members of this ancient culture.
Many of the photographs featured in the exhibit depict the elders of Atayal with tattoos on their faces. These tattoos are a relic of Taiwanese indigenous culture and signify strength.
"We learn from different cultures," Tony Coolidge said in a telephone interview, "And if these cultures disappear, so does their knowledge."
Coolidge is the founder of a nonprofit organization called Atayal, which is named after his ancestor's tribe. This organization is dedicated to raising awareness about the disappearing indigenous culture of Taiwan. "Time in a Disappearing World" isn't his first attempt at raising cultural awareness. Coolidge has written articles for magazines, which is how UCF filmmakers Bremer and Jose discovered him.
"I believe everybody can learn from diversity," Coolidge said. "Different cultures provide important information for societal growth, and, if people don't take interest in them, they disappear."
Coolidge said that interest in these cultures create opportunities for members of each culture. It allows for them to tell stories about their cultures and empowers them with pride. Interest in indigenous cultures also helps to motivate younger members of the culture to get more in touch with their roots, for example, by relearning rituals and traditions and performing them for interested spectators.
In 2004 at Orlando's Indigenous Heritage Festival, Coolidge brought different tribal groups together to perform traditional rituals and to participate in exhibits of cultural exchange.
Coolidge is currently working on a novel involving a possible China-Taiwan-U.S. conflict scenario. He has also spoken to the United Nations during the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues through a panel about issues facing the indigenous youth. He will soon to be published in Cultural Survival Quarterly, which is an internationally circulating publication that focuses primarily on indigenous issues facing the world today.
"Time in a Disappearing World" and a preview for the film "Voices" are currently on display at the Scott Laurent Gallery in Winter Park until sometime in mid-June. The Scott Laurent Gallery is located at 348 Park Ave., Winter Park, Fl.
For more information, call 407-629-1488 or visit Atayal on the Internet at www.atayal.org
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