Dona Tribe Introduction
Dona Village is located at the end of Highway 132 in Maolin District and is the deepest village in the area. It was previously known as "Tunzi," a transliteration from Japanese, and the residents refer to their settlement as "Kunadavan." Dona Village is composed of several small settlements and is currently one of the villages in Maolin District where the Rukai traditional culture is best preserved. Surrounded by mountains, there is a wide flat plain where unique black rice is cultivated. Every July, they hold the "Tabesengane" black rice festival to commemorate the blessings from the heavens and pray for a bountiful harvest in the coming year, and the "Tapakadrawane" harvest season is held in November. Another unique cultural aspect of Dona Village is the millet engagement bundles, made of red, yellow, and green yarn tied around millet. In the past, before the festivals, young men from the village would prepare millet bundles and deliver them to the homes of the girls they admired, expressing their affection. Thus, the more millet bundles found in a household, the more popular the girl is perceived to be. It is recommended to stay for about one hour, during which visitors can explore the village on their own or book a guided tour to visit the slate houses, the chief's house, and the headsman's platform. When visiting, please try to avoid disturbing the daily lives of the villagers.
