This thesis exemplifies how material differences between sticky and non-sticky rice lead to their divergent applications in Nung life, which also highlights the essential roles of married females, fictive children, and the “back side.” Such a “flow of life” is projected through the “flow of rice”—rice-based foods exchanged during local events, but expressed in different colors and textures, ranging from yellow and red-dyed sticky rice, to a red or white pounded sticky rice-made mochi.
Rice, the staple crop of the Nung, is grown on the most fertile paddy fields. The locals differentiate it into non-sticky and sticky rice with the latter always produced less nowadays. The taste and texture of sticky rice is considered more delicious and chewy. Sticky rice is also more applicable into various sorts of rice-based foods for exchange while cooked non-sticky rice serves for daily meals.
The flow of rice, hence, consists of the colored sticky rice-based foods given and returned through the flow of life that points to interactions between married daughters, sisters, granddaughters and their natal households, fictive relations, including “child of the then5,” “child entrusted,” “child of a then5/Taoist” or “child of MyB,” as well as “back side” and their “front side.” “Back side” broadly encompasses households related to the wife-giver, but for different events, there are priorities of who could give what kind of rice-based foods.
Nung events are recognized as “big events,” but there are other regular and irregular events. A Taoist priest must perform “big events” while irregular ones also require a ritual specialist, but occur more than once in a lifetime and are held whenever they are needed. There are different regular events, including the Lunar New Year, which occur almost every month based on the lunar calendar. Rice-based foods are integrated in those events as a major item to be given, usually sent along with a living chicken or duck.
On “make [the] bridge,” “pacify [the] house,” “make [the] soul,” funerals and tSai55 i5 (anniversary of the deceased), married females, fictive children and the “back side,” except for sons of the household or the maternal grandparents, would “bring [the] basket.” For “three morning,” the “back side” do so. Yet during the ritual “add [the] present,” only the maternal grandmother brings red sticky rice, which is not recognized as an exchange, to the ritual for her grandchildren. And during the Lunar New Year, excluding all “back sides” and sons, others would “offer [for the] celebration.”
Hence, I suggest that how the Nung apply sticky and non-sticky rice brings out essential roles of married females, fictive children, and the “back side,” all of who play a part in keeping the rice flow.

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