The Puyuma, also known as the Peinan or Beinan tribe, are one of several tribal peoples in Taiwan. The tribe is generally divided into the Chihpen and Nanwang groups, both resident in Taitung County on the east coast of Taiwan.

In the year 2000 the Puyuma numbered 9,606. This was approximately 2.4% of Taiwan’s total indigenous population, making them the sixth-largest tribal group. The Puyuma speak their tribal language as well as Mandarin and Taiwanese. The Puyuma language, however, is dying.

The name “Puyuma” means “unity” or “concord,” and was originally the autonym of the speakers of the Nanwang dialect (Teng 2008). Zeitoun and Cauquelin (2006) also note that the word Puyuma can be analyzed as pu’-uma, which means “to send to the field.”

Text adapted from Wikipedia’s article on the Puyuma peoples