Location: Taroko National Park

Taroko Gorge which is part of Taroko National Park is located in the traditional territory which belongs to Truku people. Due to the Japanese governing period’s forced migration, few Truku communities have left in their traditional territory. The area is now full of either the construct of rip raps during Japanese colonial period or deserted nature. Taroko Gorge is not only famous for its incredible natural beauty of cliffs and impressive landscapes but also filled with abundant Truku community’s culture and history. Through the guide of local Truku people and volunteers from National Park, the participants are going to explore the magnificence of nature while following the history of colonial period intertwined with bloodshed and tears. Finally, we are going to have a delicate dinner of Truku cuisine, a sharing after experiencing local cultures, and exchanges of thoughts on local issues between the participants in Fushi elementary school which is mainly composed with Truku people.

Notice: Today’s trip consists of 70 percent of walking on the trails in Taroko; therefore, please wear comfortable sporty clothing and shoes. Because the summer in Taiwan could reach to 33 Celsius degress (91°F) and afternoon thunderstorms happen quite often, please bring rain gears including umbrellas or rain coats with you. We’d also like to suggest you to bring your water bottle and insect repellent (a nature-friendly one is recommended).

Location: Taroko Gorge

By paying a visit to a Truku Language Immersion Teaching Kindergarten, we are going to have a look at the current situation of the implementation of Taiwan’s indigenous language immersion teaching. Following the guide of Truku’s elderly people, culture investigators, and undergraduate students from indigenous law program, we are going to go further into the Truku’s history and background including their fighting against Japanese army, their protesting against mineral resources developing, and the introduction of ‘Return Our Land Movement.’ The trip will end with a sharing with Truku activists from the movement while enjoying the Truku weaving and having a delicate local cuisine.

Notice:
The trip consists of 40 percent of walking on the trails in Taroko; therefore, please wear comfortable sporty clothing and shoes. Because the summer in Taiwan could reach to 33 Celsius degress (91°F) and afternoon thunderstorms happen quite often, please bring rain gears including umbrellas or rain coats with you. We’d also like to suggest you to bring your water bottle and insect repellent (a nature-friendly one is recommended). And because the mining area is a restricted and sensitive area where photo-taking and video-taping are both prohibited, please follow the local people’s instructions.

Location: Makota’ay community

With abundant knowledge of their traditions and cultures of crafts and artworks, Makota’ay community which belongs to Pangcah peoples is located closely to the estuary which connects Xiuguluan River (Siwkolan) with Pacific Ocean. It also has a dark history of fighting against colonizers who deprived them of rights during the colonial period. We are going to visit the Pangcah community which is full of artistic works and creative cultures, and have talks with Land Movement activists, artists, and local educators about Makota’ay’s cultural heritage, artistic education, the historical background, and current developments of ‘Return Our Land Movement.’

Notice:
The trip consists of 50% activities by the sea and rivers. The participants are going to experience rafting on the river. Because Taiwan could reach to 33 Celsius degress (91°F) and afternoon thunderstorms happen quite often, please bring rain gears including umbrellas or rain coats with you. We’d also like to suggest you to bring your water bottle and insect repellent (a nature-friendly one is recommended).

 

Locations: Fakong and PateRongon Communities

After the implementation of three regulations regarding experimental education in 2014 which established an important monument of democratic and freedom of people choosing alternative education for their children, indigenous educators also adapt indigenous cultures to schools’ teaching which brings the indigenous alternative school to being. We are going to attend the opening ceremony of the first alternative school of Pangcah peoples (they have the highest population in Taiwan). School teachers are going to introduce the arrangement of curriculum for the participants. In the afternoon, we will visit Kebalan, experiencing the reconstruction and revitalization of local knowledges. You will have the opportunities of making art crafts through traditional banana fiber weaving on your own!

Notice:
The trip contains partial outdoor activities. However, most of the activities are indoor or spaces which don’t have air conditioning. Because Taiwan could reach to 33 Celsius degress (91°F) and afternoon thunderstorms happen quite often, please bring rain gears including umbrellas or rain coats with you. We’d also like to suggest you to bring your water bottle and insect repellent (a nature-friendly one is recommended).

Location: Tafalong Community

Tafalong is the oldest community among all the Pangcah communities; this tour will guide the participants to their ancestral house—Kakita’an. With the manager of the house introducing the indoor carving, we will know both the Tafalong’s history and local culture of their ceremony—ilisin—and the implementation of curriculum mapping regarding to local knowledges by Hualien Indigenous Community College. Meanwhile, we are going to meet teachers who are teaching in Pangcah elementary schools. In the past two years, they are fighting against the mainstream education system and working hard on building up their own immersion school—Sakalatamdaw (which means “Becoming Pangcah”).

Notice:
The trip contains 40% outdoor activities. However, most of the activities are indoor or spaces which don’t have air conditioning. Because Taiwan could reach to 33 Celsius degress (91°F) and afternoon thunderstorms happen quite often, please bring rain gears including umbrellas or rain coats with you. We’d also like to suggest you to bring your water bottle and insect repellent (a nature-friendly one is recommended).

Location: Kaluluan Communities and Sila Ning-av

Situated by the Pacific Ocean, Kaluluan community consists of Pangcah people, Sakizaya people, and Bunun people. Like most of the communities in Taiwan, they are also under a serious situation of main population being elder people and lacking the young and middle-aged population. In the recent years, young people are returning their home and use the natural and cultural resources to develop local tourism. In this trip, we will know how local young people cooperate with the indigenous communities and create opportunities for local culture to flourish in an alternative and creative way. We will also have a further discussion about the prospects of how to resolute the barriers between government’s supervision and the local management of natural resources.

Notice:
The trip consists mostly of outdoor activities. The participants are going to move between forests and wilderness. Because Taiwan could reach to 33 Celsius degress (91°F) and afternoon thunderstorms happen quite often, please bring rain gears including umbrellas or rain coats with you. We’d also like to suggest you to bring your water bottle and insect repellent (a nature-friendly one is recommended).

Location: Wangrong Village (Malibasi) and Ciyakang Community

Truku Youth Association consists of Truku students and the youth in National Dong Hwa University. They have long participated in Truku’s movements of protesting for their rights and Truku’s promotions of their traditional knowledges and cultural heritages. They stand up for their community by fighting against the government’s disregard for and enterprises’ deprivation of indigenous people’s rights. They also advocate for cultural revitalization of their traditional knowledges and cultivate the consciousness of Truku community. Truku youth will lead the participants to their community, experience the uniqueness of local weaving culture and let the participants know why youth action could bring positive impacts on the ethnic groups.

Notice:
The trip consists of 40 percent outdoor activities. Because the summer in Taiwan could reach to 33 Celsius degress (91°F) and afternoon thunderstorms happen quite often, please bring rain gears including umbrellas or rain coats with you. We’d also like to suggest you to bring your water bottle and insect repellent (a nature-friendly one is recommended).

Location: National Dong Hwa University