The 19th Dawushan Coming-of-Age Ceremony kicked off on the 26th, with 60 participants holding a departure ceremony in front of the county government building in the morning. After being driven to the trailhead, they were led by tribal high priest He Chunsheng in a prayer to the gods and thanks to the mountain before embarking on their three-day, two-night trek up North Dawu Mountain. Despite the wet and cold weather, the petite female participants shouted confidently that they would complete the journey.
The 19th Dawushan Coming-of-Age Ceremony was jointly organized by Pingtung County Government, the Pingtung Forest District Office of the Forestry Bureau, and the Pingtung Mountain and Forest Academy’s Ecology and Humanities Association. At 9 a.m. on the 26th, they arrived promptly at the Tawu Village archway, where Paiwan high priest He Chunsheng, who has led the ceremony for 18 years, dipped his finger in wine to honor the ancestral spirits and announced the significance of the journey to the spirits of Dawu Mountain in the native language.
With a recent cold snap and consecutive days of rain, the chairman of the Mountain and Forest Academy, Zhang Tengyuan, even went to the temple to pray for blessings. Sure enough, the first day of the climb saw the clouds part to reveal sunshine. He Chunsheng said that North Dawu is a sacred mountain for the Paiwan people, where the spirits of revered ancestors once resided. When entering the mountains, tribe members must wear straw hats and bow their heads to show reverence. Therefore, before departure, he also gave the children a lesson, hoping they would respect local customs.
The county government stated that this year’s theme, “Mountains Like Flowing Rivers—Taiwan’s Melodic Streams,” aims to deepen participants’ understanding of Taiwan’s rivers. Beyond the plains, they also focused on the sources of water, learning about environmental education concepts such as ecological conservation, hydrology, geography, and river restoration, broadening young students’ perspectives and depth of care for the land.
Magistrate Pan Meng-an noted that through mountain climbing training, participants learn teamwork and ecological education. Moreover, with no phone signal in the mountains, they can disconnect from the internet and become closer to nature, engaging in self-reflection and dialogue—a life-changing experience they will never forget.
(China Times)