In the summer, the rolling green hills of Liushidan Mountain in Fuli Township of Hualien County come alive in color with the blooming of bright orange daylilies. Daylilies are so named because these flowers remain open for only a day. They are edible and often used to flavor soups. As you may imagine, during the harvest season, this mountain becomes crowded with tourists seeking photo opportunities of this annual exhibition of Mother Nature, the artist.

        But, the colorful daylilies are not the only reason to visit this mountain. There is an amazing community of indigenous people here who have insisted on preserving their traditions. They have shunned modern amenities such as electricity and mobile devices. At night, instead of harsh indoor lighting, there is the flicker of kerosene lamps and the twinkling of stars.

       Cihara'ay in the indigenous Amis language means a place where there are many fish around the rocks in the river. For more than 60 years, this community has not had electricity and, thus, the third generation of residents began referring to it as the Heian (Dark) Community. Cihara'ay was established during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945) when a resident of the neighboring Amis community of Talampo heard a local hunter talk about a plateau that was good for cultivating crops, located above a river. He passed this information onto a family in Olalip (today's Hegang Community). This family indeed found this to be a good place and first grew tobacco and then, more successfully, sweet potatoes, taro root, millet, corn and seasonal fruits and vegetables. After World War II, some residents from nearby Talampo began moving into Cihara'ay, expanding this community.

        Early on, there were no roads connecting Cihara'ay with Liushidan Mountain and a trail that followed the river was created to carry the harvests to market. Later on, Cihara'ay residents began growing paddy rice, ginger and other crops. About that time, Chinese farmers began moving to Liushidan and the local farmers association suggested the growing of daylilies, a high value economic crop. The Amis of Talampo and Cihara'ay followed this advice, and continue to grow this crop organically.

       Although the residents of the Cihara'ay Community followed up with local government authorities for many years to gain access to electricity, as of 1998, electric poles had been installed only up to the community's entrance. The 34 households that make up the Cihara'ay Community today reached a consensus to protect the environment and not pursue the installation of additional electric poles. They instead seek opportunities to use solar or wind power. They also established the Heian Community Recreational Area, with the renovation of a worker's hut to create a picturesque landmark on a breathtaking mountain slope.

        To further preserve the environment and surrounding natural beauty, there are limits on the number of tourists and tourism activities are restricted during certain times of the year. In addition, community residents have developed ecotourism itineraries that include river tracing and the hiking of its old trail to market, which are led by the residents themselves. Without access to television or modern communication devices, it is easier to observe the signs of nature all around, such as the tracks of wild boar and the silhouettes of mountain goats as they traverse a cliff. In the early morning, there is the distinctive roar of the Formosan black bear and in the summer, the blinking lights of fireflies at night. Itineraries focus on three main sites: Talampo Community, Liushidan Mountain and Cihara'ay Community.

        The residents of this community are focused on the aspects of economy, society, culture and education to ensure sustainable development. They are working hard to demonstrate that indigenous people can develop an economic and cultural heritage preservation model that is most suited to indigenous people, making this a very unique place indeed.

[Contact information]

Hualien County Talampo Cultural and Agricultural Development Association

109, Dongxing Road, Xinxing Village, Fuli Township, Hualien County

Tel: (03) 8821089  (Outside of Taiwan: +886-3-8821089)

Fax: (03) 8821503  (Outside of Taiwan: +886-3-8821503)

Facebook Fans Page: https://www.facebook.com/talanpo/?ref=hl