In fact, Ami society is matriarchal and traditionally has no surnames. In order to conform to Han-Chinese custom, however, Tiway Sayion and his children have conferred and decided to adopt his mother's name as a surname which will be passed down to future generations.
由於阿美族是母系社會，並沒有「姓氏」觀念，為了配合漢人社會的習俗，李來旺和孩子商量後，決定將祖母的名字訂為姓氏，子子孫孫沿用下去。