Seqalu: Formosa 1867 (2021)

I have never seen anything quite like “Seqalu: Formosa 1867.” Yes, I have seen documentaries, I have also seen stunning stories on life and people who are forever searching for a place to belong to, but I have never seen anything quite like the story I have seen today.

Seqalu: Formosa 1867 dramatizes the events following the Rover Incident of 1867 in Taiwan wherein a group of American sailors who were shipwrecked on the coast were killed by Taiwanese indigenous people. Subsequently, E Gendre was sent to avenge the killings.

The drama derives its title from “Seqalu,” the nation of the indigenous, hidden away in the mountains,

“Are you scared of getting lost? We never get lost in the mountains.”

and “Formosa,” which literally means beautiful nation and 1867 because it follows the story of the Seqalu nation in 1867.

This docudrama can be viewed in two aspects. The first of course is as a documentary it can be judged on its historical accuracy. I myself am not Taiwanese and have no idea about its people, neither am I a historian who is capable of judging the show on this parameter.

However, reading through two articles on the River Incident tell me that the basic storyline of the story is quite accurate. The arrival of the consul and how it forces the hand of Taiwanese royalty to move against the Seqalu people has historical ground.

Furthermore, the cinematographic interpretation of Taiwan in 1867 is absolutely jaw-droppingly stunning. If MyDramaList offered a way to rate series on production values, Seqalu would recieve a 10 from me. The brilliance of its filming lies not just in how scenic it is but that the the scenes somehow capture and echo the emotions the story tries to deliver.

This brings us to the second aspect, as a drama. Seqalu: Formosa 1867 is a beautiful story. All its main characters are splendidly crafted, each have their own motivations and causes. We get multiple perspectives of the same incident.

Hundred years before the Rover Incident, the Seqalu Nation was rampaged by the Dutch. The fear of the “blue-eyes,” or so they are called by the indigenous people, has been ingrained in them. They still remember the burials of their ancestors and cannot forget the time when only five of their people was left standing in the dust of Dutch exploitation.

While the American Consul lead by Le Gendre seeks to avenge the murder of the Americans, the Seqalu Nation has never received justice for the heinous crimes done against them.

At the centre of the story is my favorite character Tiap Moe, the Formosian Butterfly, a princess of the Seqalu Nation who has been homeless since the death of her mother who had fled and cut off ties with the Seqalu.

“Princess, it's time you come home. My people don't want to see me.”

While working as the interpreter of the American Consul, Tiap Moe becomes a central character in bridging the gaps between both sides.

MDL post on Tiap Moe» https://mydramalist.com/profile/Nada_SouSou/feeds/2AnBlFA

Characters are only as good as the actors and Seqalu: Formosa has a brilliant cast who have delivered their best. I was particularly awed by Jenny Wen as Tiap Moe.

Seqalu: Formosa 1867 has been an intensely moving journey through Taiwan in 1867. It can be found completely on YouTube TaiwanPlus. Even a 9/10, any review would be a criminal under-appreciation of this creation.

Read More