Lessons from a Atayal tribe hunter

As I've noted already, I am making my stay in Taiwan this time around to be as culturally engaging as possible. Needless to say the possibilities are endless. Many people might not know this, but Taiwan if actually a very ethnically and culturally diverse country. As of right now there are a total of 14 recognized aboriginal tribes in Taiwan, with a few more still in dispute. Last weekend, I joined a day trip with the Society of Wilderness (荒野保護協會) to visit a village populated with the Atayal aboriginal tribe located in the township of Tatung, Yilan County. I was really excited to have this opportunity, because I have never been to an aboriginal village before. I am on my way to slowly learning one of the most well known aboriginal tribes of Taiwan.
The Atayal tribe is the second-largest tribe in Taiwan. They are probably most well-known for their tradition of facial tattoos. This tradition, however, was banned soon after the Japanese occupation in Taiwan. Fortunately, there are talks of a movement to bring back this unique practice.

Yilan County is located roughly an hour away from Taipei, making it a popular tourist destination on the weekends. The area we visited was called "九寮溪", located in a mountainous area.
We were to meet our guide, the hunter "Ashong". Apparently, Ashong used to be a truck driver; one day he took a few people around the mountains in his village, and they were amazed how knowledgeable he was. Thus they recommended that he be a tour guide and representative of his village. And voila! luckily for us, we get to learn about the tribe and their nature with one of the specialist. Traditionally the tribe lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering roots, vegetables, fruits, etc. in the mountains. To be considered a "hunter" one needs to have a special set of skills and knowledge.


Lesson 1: which one can I eat?

Edible

Not Edible

Ashong, cracking open a bamboo steamed rice with his "man-only" knife

Every time the tree peels, it means it's aged one year

山蔬 A mountain plant, found in TW
The roots are edible, really sour, increases saliva.

Yes this creepy furry plant is edible too. Peel off the outside and the inside is similar to that of yam, with a bit of a sweet taste to it.

A black fungus, it's the first time I've seen it in the wild. I was tempted to take it home and make stir-fry with it. If only there were more...

It was quite extraordinary to see Ashong show us what is edible, what cures diarrhea, what plants stop bleeding, etc. etc. I felt like I was walking into a natural buffet and pharmacy. During the tour, it was hard not to admire the beauty of the mountains. This little trail, which had been closed due to a flood has just re-opened. Luckily for us, this means less people.

Ashong also showed us how to set traps to catch wild boar, rats, squirrels and birds. As always, things are easier than it looks...

Wild Boar Trap
Trap for rats and squirrels. Ashong proudly said that his grandmother taught him this. He showed us about 5 times, and no one was able to replicate the process!

How to trap a bird, much easier than the previous one.

After a few hours in the mountains, we headed back to Ashong's house, where he showed us a few traditional tools, crafts, and materials that are rarely made in the modern times. We entered the house and was greeted by....

This is made out of a goat skin. It is used as a raincoat. It can also be used as a mat to sleep on when the hunter is out in the mountains.

A chair where the groom carries the bride on their wedding day. The groom has to carry his bride around to greet the entire village. Rumor has it that if the groom grows tired, then the marriage will not end happily...

This is used to carry chopped wood. It is very heavy just by itself.

Fish trap

Yes, I am holding a dead squirrel. The one of the left is frozen, not yet de-furred (is that a word?) On the right I am holding one with the fur removed. I am holding a sweet potato on the other hand because someone commented on how similar they look... I love the look of that girl in the background.

It's interesting to hear people comment on how "disgusting" it is to eat squirrels, rats, random birds, etc. But if you really think about it, how is it any more disgusting than eating a chicken or beef? It's simply that in our culture we are used to eating what is considered "normal" for us. And when we see things that we tend to associate "cuteness" with, we find it unbearable that people in other cultures actually eat them.

A traditional Atayal building. The picture on the right shows a very clever construction in order to prevent rats from crawling into the building!

I wish I had more time to spend in this village as well as the mountains. I find that there is still so much more to discover regarding the Atayal tribe and their environment. I can only wish that the people in Taiwan will take the time and effort to learn the people and culture that first inhabited this beautiful island. I am only at the tip of 14 giant icebergs, hoping to dig my way through all of them.