Maple Leaf Village Introduction
In this quiet little village, there is a proud history. In 1968, the Bunun children from Hongye Tribe formed the Hongye Little League team and defeated the then-world champion team from Japan, sparking a wave of enthusiasm for Little League baseball in Taiwan and securing a place in history for the Hongye Little League. Besides baseball, Hongye Village has a special feature; it has been designated by the Council of Agriculture as the "Taitung Hongye Village Cycas Nature Reserve." Early on, the unique Taitung Cycas found in Taitung was mistakenly identified as the Taiwan Cycas, commonly known as the iron tree. Later, experts verified that it is a living fossil that has developed for over 140 million years, hence it was officially renamed Taitung Cycas. Every April, the Ear Shooting Festival is the most grand and solemn ceremony for the Bunun people throughout the year. At this festival, one can witness various rituals such as blessings, ear shooting ceremonies, distributing pork, shotgun rituals, and celebrating wartime achievements. Most importantly, the world-renowned Bunun eight-part harmonies are performed here in the most authentic way. 【Source: Tribe Backpackers, Feng Taitung, Tribe Travel Guide】
