Tribal Deep Dive: One-Day Tours to Ancestral Longhouses & the "Walking Trees" in Taitung

By MOOK Travel Life Chen Guanxin, compiled & reported

With the 2012 Pacific Arts Festival set to take place from September 8 to 15, Taitung County Government has planned five in-depth one-day tribal experience tours, including "Paiwan & Puyuma Fresh Encounters" and "Azure Seas & Amis Encounters," which will take visitors to indigenous villages to experience handmade weaving and cross-stitching, admire the architectural art of ancestral longhouses, and tour ancient gun batteries and ceremonial grounds. The tours will also visit the Wulu Tribe, the only community in Taitung that did not surrender during the Japanese colonial period. The tours run from September 7 to 16, with 25 sessions in total, each accommodating 40 people at a cost of NT$399–499 per person.

The five routes include the "Paiwan & Puyuma Fresh Encounter," which will explore the Sapulju Tribe (composed of four sub-tribes and eight major families) and the Kaditbul Tribe of the Puyuma people. Sapulju is a hunting taboo area, meaning "lonely and desolate," where visitors can also experience cross-stitching culture. The "Azure Seas & Amis Encounter" offers views of the Pacific from Donghe Bridge, bamboo rafting experiences, and tastings of specialty dishes from the Dapulrungan Tribe of the Amis people.

The "Happy Journey with Rukai & Amis" includes participation in indigenous ceremonies, visits to the Shishan Tribe to learn about Amis traditional culture, and hands-on weaving or DIY experiences. The "Guardians of the Central Mountain Range" takes visitors to the Wulu Tribe, the only community in Taitung that did not surrender during the Japanese colonial period, and a stroll across the Tianlong Suspension Bridge, which spans the Wulu Gorge and hangs over 80 meters above the canyon. The "Avatar’s Homeland Encounter" features a trip to a forest museum to see the "walking trees," passage through the "Gate of Heaven," and exploration of Bunun ancestral longhouses.

This tribal journey emphasizes deep cultural immersion, showcasing the rich heritage, traditional rituals, and crafts of Taitung’s seven major indigenous groups—the Amis, Paiwan, Rukai, Bunun, Puyuma, Yami (Tao), and Kavalan—making it a truly fascinating experience. For more details, visit the official website hopemonkey.tw/2012bustrip.

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