The Amis people who are one of the indigenous group in Taiwan and the largest tribal group in the country are actually the closest genetic relative of Filipinos.

Most Amis lived in the North mountainous region in Taiwan, which is why modern Taiwanese call them Amis which means “North”. However, Amis called themselves as Pangcah which means “human” or “people of our kind”.

Amis people are classified into five groups:

·         Northern group (located on the Chihlai/Hualien Plain)

·         Middle group (located west to the Coastal Mountains)

·         Coastal group (located east to the Coastal Mountains)

·         Falangaw group (located between Chengkong and the Taitung Plain)

·         Hengchun group (located on the Hengchun Peninsula)

Traditional Amis lives in the north while, due to the fast pace life in Taiwan and the rapid change of era, some Amis moved from the mountains to start a better living in the city.

Just like Filipinos, Amis women handle the family’s budget. Their husband serves as the disciplinarian while the woman serves her family with the household chores. And just like Filipinos, Amis people are also into agriculture. Annually, Amis celebrates Harvest festival to show their thanks and appreciation for the good harvest.

Although Amis people are do not normally mingle with other people in Taiwan, many famous people in Taiwan and other part of the world are from the Amis group such as baseball player Chin-hui Tsao, Olympic decathlete Yang Chuan-kwang, Florida Orchestra Associate Concertmaster Nancy Chang and singers Chang Chen-yue, A-Lin, and Tank.