Shakaran Kouchi Village Introduction
The Kou She community, located adjacent to the Shakaran River, is a Paiwan indigenous village. The former name of Kou She was Shakaran (sagaran), which was separated from Dasha. In the past, two hunters from the Dasha Tavaluan tribe, Sapantje and Salatiliman, went hunting and, upon arriving at a place (the old Kou She village named Kauma'an), their hunting dogs refused to leave. The hunters decided to settle there, and some residents from Dasha also moved to this location. Sapantje went back to invite the fourth son of the Dasha chief, Sa'adiu, to be the chief of the new settlement, which thus formed the new village named "Shakaran." The stone pavilion and archway at the entrance of the Kou She community features sculptures of the two hunters, their hunting dogs, and the chief. To this day, when a wedding occurs in the village, it is customary to send betel nuts and orange flower garlands to the descendants of the two hunters, as a sign of respect for the founders of the tribe. The name of the Kou She tribe is Shakaran (sagaran), and the Shakaran River, which flows through the Kou She village, is the source of life for the sagaran people. After three relocations, the sagaran people have always remained connected to the Kou She River. To this day, the sagaran people and the Shakaran River maintain an important interdependent relationship. In 2001, an incident involving the poisoning of fish led to a mass die-off of the river's fish, greatly impacting the river's ecology. The villagers felt deep resentment towards this act, leading the village chief to gather the community and announce a river conservation plan, thus starting the Shakaran (sagaran) river conservation movement. During the past two years of this conservation effort, the community mobilized voluntary labor, allowing villagers to participate in river patrols, the construction of river protection pathways, the stacking of stones for slope protection, and the organization of platforms to build raised houses. Gradually, the ecological environment of the Shakaran River has been restored. Indigenous peoples have historically relied on the resources of mountains and rivers for their livelihood, taking from nature while also preserving it. They establish ethical guidelines based on the reproductive cycles of biotic life, ensuring that resources are both utilized and sustainably maintained. With the rich cultural characteristics, unique lifestyles, and habits of the Paiwan tribe, combined with the ample ecological resources of the Shakaran River, we can develop high-quality ecological tourism ventures in Shakaran (sagaran).
