Old Fatou Bay Tribe Introduction
Jiu Fa Wan Tribe is the ancestral origin of the Paiwan and Rukai peoples, located in the mountainous area at an elevation of over 800 meters. It has a geographical advantage of facing the sea from the mountains, overlooking the surroundings, and is adjacent to She Lu Tribe, Hao Cha Tribe, and Gao Yan Tribe across the Ailiao South River. In the distance lies the sacred mountain of the Paiwan people, "Dawu Mountain." This location not only helps to fend off external threats but is also a beautiful place isolated from the world. In the early days, Jiu Fa Wan Tribe had about 100 households. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese forcibly relocated the indigenous people of Gao Yan and She Lu tribes to Jiu Fa Wan Tribe. After the restoration, the Kuomintang government relocated the residents of the three tribes to present-day Majia Village, Jiu Fa Wan Village, and Beiye Village, leading to the original tribe being renamed Jiu Fa Wan Tribe. The declining Jiu Fa Wan and She Lu tribes ultimately had only a few households left, and the Gao Yan Tribe deeper in the mountains is already uninhabited. Although Jiu Fa Wan Tribe has relocated to another place, a small number of indigenous people still reside here. They work together with their relocated tribesmen in the mountains, farming crops such as betel nut, millet, sweet potatoes, and tree beans. Because they continue to live here, Jiu Fa Wan Tribe still preserves over a dozen complete slate houses. To prevent the decline and disappearance of tribal culture, with the consensus and efforts of the tribe members, they have collectively begun reconstruction work for the tribe. After restructuring, Jiu Fa Wan Tribe not only restored the appearance of the slate houses but also laid down slate pathways within the tribe. Visitors can follow the pathways to visit the worship site, driftwood pavilion, exhibition grain barn, and exhibition sweet potato roasting stand, experiencing the beauty of original indigenous culture.
