本文立於後（破）國家主義歷史觀點，揚棄後殖民式的國家史觀，改以探討地方殖民經驗為主的歷史，即地方政治實體的歷史。文中以東臺灣後山為例，陳述一六三八年以降荷蘭東印度公司勢力的到來如何加速卑南人在當地的崛起。荷蘭人與卑南人在後山的結盟，為東印度公司主力位於臺灣西南部，對東臺灣鞭長莫及此一地理因素之果；因此，東印度公司在後山採用的策略為大量依賴當地人擴張、鞏固其勢力，卑南人恰巧於此扮演一要角。東酪度公司除了穨谷政治合作與武力結盟外，並於一六五二年起開辦東部地方會議，強化荷蘭人與卑南人結盟下的政治圖。當荷蘭人於一六六二年撤離臺灣後，卑南人則承續先前結盟下的政治版圖，崛起為往後二百年間掌控後山的地方勢力。

The paper takes the position of history of post-nationalism and further explores that of spatial identity, which presents not only a colonial experience but also a local history other than that out of the post-colonial national ethos. It takes the case of East Taiwan and argues that the presence of the Dutch East India Company or VOC over there since 1638 facilitated the emerging dominance of Pimaba. The Dutch-Pimaba coalition in East Taiwan is a matter of geography, resulting from the remoteness of the area away from the headquarters of the VOC on the southwestern part of the island. The VOC, therefore, adopted a strategy heavily relying on the support of local inhabitants to expand and consolidate their influence, and the Pimaba residents turned out to be the candidate fitting into the scheme. In addition to the mutual political collaboration and military alliance, the VOC-inaugurated Ease annual landdag (oostelijke landdag) after 1652 also strengthened the political geography created by the Dutch-Pimaba coalition. By the year of 1662 when the Dutch withdrew from Taiwan, Pimaba basically inherited the geography of subservient villages left by the earlier Dutch-Pimaba coalition and became the emerging local authority in East Taiwan until the 19th century.