Ancestral Origin Monument of Indigenous Peoples Introduction
According to the oral traditions of the Puyuma people, Taiwan was originally submerged beneath the sea, and there was land connecting Orchid Island and Green Island. Later, Taiwan Island emerged from the sea, and the original land where they lived sank, along with the sun and moon disappearing, leaving only five siblings alive. One boy was pushed into the sky to become the sun, a girl became the moon, while the other two girls and one boy drifted to the mountains near Sanhe Village and Huayuan Village in Taitung's Taimali Township. This landing place is referred to by the tribespeople as "Luhfan" or "Banabanayang," which means "the place of origin" in the Puyuma language. It is also the site of the monument marking the ancestral birthplace of the Indigenous peoples. In 1960, a monument titled "Ancestral Birthplace of Taiwan's Indigenous Peoples" was erected on a hillside beside the ocean in Sanhe Village. In the 1980s, following suggestions from local residents, the site gained attention, leading the county government to secure funding for renovations to expand the area and facilities, add interpretation signs, and beautify the site with sculptures and greenery, resulting in its current scale. Around the time of the Tomb-Sweeping Festival each year, the Puyuma people from Jhiben and Jianhe communities come to pay respects to their ancestors, expressing their gratitude and remembrance. The Amis people from the Dulan Village of Donghe Township have also established a shrine here to fulfill their ancestors' wishes, regularly coming to worship and honor them. The site of the ancestral birthplace monument includes explanations of the Puyuma migration, commemorative illustrations of their arduous journey, inscriptions on memorial stones, and a concrete staircase for visitors to explore, helping tourists and descendants of Indigenous peoples better understand the process of their migration to Taiwan.
