Dona Village Introduction
Donal Village is located at the end of Highway 132 in Maolin District and is the innermost village of the area. Donal was formerly known as "Tunza," a term transliterated from Japanese, and the residents refer to their settlement as "Kunadavan." The village is comprised of several smaller settlements and is currently one of the communities in Maolin District where the traditional culture of the Rukai people is best preserved. Surrounded by mountains, a wide and flat terrace behind the settlement is used for cultivating unique black rice. Every July, the village holds the Black Rice Festival ("Tabesengane") to commemorate the blessings from the heavens and pray for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. In November, they celebrate the Harvest Season ("Tapakadrawane"). Another unique cultural aspect of Donal Village is the millet love bundles. Made with red, yellow, and green yarn, these millet bundles are prepared by young men in the village before festivals and sent to the homes of the girls they admire as a sign of affection. The more millet bundles a family receives, the more popular their daughters are considered to be. It is recommended to stay for about an hour, and visitors can choose to explore the village on their own or book a guided tour to see the stone houses, the chief's house, and the headhunter’s platform. When visiting, please make an effort to avoid disturbing the daily lives of the villagers.
