林南吉，一位身兼布農族與客家血統的原住民工藝家，自幼由外國宣教士夫婦扶養，成長歷程顛沛流離，卻也形塑出其堅韌而多元的生命視野。國中畢業後，他展開一段尋根旅程，走遍布農部落，透過筆記記錄耆老智慧，尤其在八八水災後，成為珍貴文化的保存者。

林南吉技藝多元，是布農族千年傳人制度中的一員，擁有編織、雕刻、耕作、打獵、採集、歌唱等全方位能力，被譽為「在地智慧的百科全書」。他尤以植物編織工藝見長，起初跟著筆記記錄自學，後來因緣際會開始開班授課，廣受歡迎，並成為部落大學常駐講師。

他不僅傳授布農族文化，也熟悉其他原住民族群的工藝，教學以實作與口述為核心，重視與土地的連結，並強調文化的生活實踐。他相信文化應是共享的，因此授課對象不限於原住民族群，致力讓更多人理解在地智慧的價值，開啟一條從部落走向社會的文化傳承之路。

Balakav Ismahasan, an Indigenous artisan of Bunun and Hakka heritage, was raised by foreign missionaries and experienced a turbulent childhood marked by displacement. These early challenges shaped a resilient and multifaceted worldview that continues to inform his creative path. After graduating from junior high school, he rediscovered and visited Bunun villages to record Bunun culture by interviewing tribal elders. Especially after Typhoon Morakot in 2009, he became the Bunun cultural preserver.

Balakav Ismahasan is a recognized member of the Bunun “Thousand-Year Lineage” system, with wide-ranging expertise in weaving, carving, farming, hunting, gathering and traditional singing, making him akin to a living encyclopedia. Among his many skills, he is particularly acclaimed for his plant-fiber weaving and is now a periodic instructor at tribal colleges. 

Not only does he promote the culture of the Bunun tribe, but he is also familiar with the crafts of other Indigenous tribes. Lin’s teaching focuses on hands-on experience and oral storytelling, emphasizing the importance of connection with the land and integrating cultural knowledge into daily life. Believing that tradition is meant to be shared, he welcomes learners of all backgrounds, weaving a path of cultural transmission from the village to the broader world.