Tuzang Wutun Paiwan Cultural Community Introduction
Located in Taitung County's Daren Township, the Tusan Village is primarily inhabited by the Paiwan people. The Paiwan are a hierarchically structured group divided into five classes: chiefs, nobility, shamans and priests, gentry, and commoners. Chiefs hold hereditary positions and own land, hunting grounds, and rivers; those in the nobility and higher ranks have the right to wear elaborate clothing and have carved door lintels. In Tusan Village, there are two ancestral spirit houses overseen by three chiefs, which serve as places for various clans to conduct rituals and prayers; they are also sites that mediate between gods, ancestors, and humans. Every aspect of life, including warfare, agriculture, festivals, healing, and travel, necessitates rituals and divination by the priesthood, making the ancestral spirit house a guiding force in village affairs. Due to its sacred nature, the ancestral spirit house has certain taboos, and visitors must obtain permission before touring or photographing it. Tusan Village retains the traditional flavor of an indigenous community, with a population rich in talent, including indigenous woodcarvers, artists, cultural workers, and traditional chieftains' households, resulting in an ambiance steeped in Paiwan culture. The symbols of the Paiwan's hundred steps snake and Taiwan lily are ubiquitous, and many households resemble ready-made museums. Once known as the "homeland of the hairy crab," the Tusan community has seen its bonds strengthen after the devastation of Typhoon Morakot. The community has utilized its inherent strengths to craft unique characteristics, allowing people to connect with and understand Paiwan culture while preserving and transmitting the artistic and cultural heritage of the Paiwan. Within the community, visitors can experience Paiwan cultural arts, listen to imaginative legends and myths, explore archaeological artifacts such as stone slate coffins, and investigate local prehistoric cultural sites. The indigenous style of the village can be documented through imagery, and one can purchase unique Paiwan handicrafts at workshops within the community, making it a destination worth deeply exploring for cultural and artistic journeys.
