泰雅族為臺灣原住民族分佈最廣的一支，他們自稱「Tayal/ltaal/ltaral」，分佈於南 投以北 7 個縣市的 14 條河川流域，按地域、我群意識及方言差異可分為 22 個群體， 目前官方認定 6 個語別，分別是賽考利克語、澤敖利語、宜蘭澤敖利語、萬大泰雅語、 汶水泰雅語、四季泰雅語等。 泰雅族社會並無文字書寫的傳統，而是以祖先所流傳下來的語言為媒介，透過口說 或吟唱的方式來傳承族群起源、族群遷移、祖先遺訓、族群規範與生活智慧的口述傳 貳、臺灣 12 項非物質文化遺產潛力名錄簡介與 現況 10 統，族人稱這樣的口說與吟唱為 Lmuhuw。透過 Lmuhuw，泰雅族人承繼族群的 歷史記憶與文化，延續族群傳統領域，維繫族群命脈。 Lmuhuw 直譯的字面意思是穿、引之意，以「穿」針「引」線的動作，來象徵有別於日常生活中平鋪直述的用語的言說方式，針對不同的場合情境，將所欲傳遞的訊息，Imamu（挑選、撿取）適當的詞句來比喻，再將相關的象徵語詞串連起來，在開會、 談判、提親、結婚、祖靈祭、交誼等各種場合吟唱出來。族人形容這樣的言說方式為 kinbazi na ke'（話中有話），認為是 zihung na ke'（深奧語言）。
Lmuhuw 這種口說或吟唱的敘事表現方式，是泰雅語言的精髓所在，其重心在於對話過程及語言內容的使用，目前已有不同泰雅群體的Lmuhuw 登錄為文化資產予以保存，其中的Msgamil（尋根、溯源的歌謠），是耆老們公認最困難的Lmuhuw吟唱。Msgamil是對於祖源觀念的傳述模式，是泰雅歷史記憶建構的核心，也是Lmuhuw 的保存重心。隨著族語的式微，泰雅族祖源觀念與歷史記憶也面臨傳承危機。透過文化資產保護採取緊急措施，調查記錄目前殘存於各泰雅分佈地區所傳唱的Msgamil 歌謠，保存歷史記憶， 將 Lmuhuw 口述傳統的重要語彙匯編成書，試 圖在語言式微、Lmuhuw 的象徵用語和即興語感消逝前，搶救這項臺灣獨特而珍貴 的口述傳統文化資產。
As the most prevalent indigenous peoples across the land of Taiwan, the Atayal people call themselves Tayal or ltaal or ltaral. Situated across 14 river basins in seven counties north of Nantou, they may be divided into 22 groups based on the region, group consciousness, and differences in dialect. Currently, the six officially recognized languages include: Squliq, Ci'uli (Ts’ole’), Yilan Creole, Plngawan Atayal (Bandai Atayal), Matu'uwal Atayal, and Skikun Atayal.
Textual writing is not a tradition in the Atayal society, which relies on the language that came from the ancestors as the tool, using storytelling or singing to pass down tribal origin, tribal migration history, ancestral teachings, tribal regulations, and living wisdom. The oral tradition of talking and singing is called Lmuhuw by the tribesmen, which is the way Atayal people continue their tribal heritage, historical memories and culture, to continue the traditional tribal knowledge and maintain the tribal ethnicity.
The literal translation of Lmuhuw is to guide and pass through, such as the action of threading a needle, symbolizing a method of speaking indirectly that differs from the straightforward speech used in daily life. Lmuhuw is taking the message to be conveyed, selecting (Imamu) the appropriate phrases as analogies, and then interweaving relevant symbolic phrases together for singing on various occasions, such as meetings, negotiations, marriage proposals and marriage ceremonies, ancestral rituals, and social gatherings. This type of speech is called kinbazi na ke' (embedding meanings in speech) by the tribesmen, which is also considered zihung na ke' (profound language)
The Lmuhuw storytelling or singing narrative presentation method is the essence of the Atayal language, which focuses on the process of the dialogue and usage of language content. Currently, the Lmuhuw expressions of different Atayal groups have been registered as culture assets for the purpose of preservation. Among them, Msgamil (song about the search for roots and origins) is considered by the elders as the most difficult Lmuhuw singing. Msgamil is a model of transmission of the concept of ancestral origin, the established core of Atayal historical memory, as well as the focus of Lmuhuw preservation.
The Atayal heritage of ancestral origin concepts and historical memories is facing a crisis due to the declining usage of tribal languages. In response, urgent measures to safeguard cultural heritage have been implemented, investigating and recording the Msgamil songs still being sung in various Atayal tribal regions, to preserve historical memories. Furthermore, important vocabularies of the oral tradition of Lmuhuw are compiled into a book. These actions are attempts to save this unique and precious oral traditional cultural asset in Taiwan before the vanishing of tribal language, and the symbolic speech style and improvisational language of Lmuhuw.