"Unique", strange ethnic entertainment village Bo Nong

In the whole of Taiwan, there are about 62,000 Bunun people, of which Taitung County alone accounts for about 31,000 people (50%), distributed in the towns of Xinyi Nantou, Yanping, Hairui...

We visited Taoyuan Village, Yanping Town, Taitung County - home to the Taitung Bunun Tribe with dozens of ancient houses, clustered at the foot of the central mountain, on both the West and East sides.

Pristine, peaceful beauty of Bunun Ethnic Minority Village, Taitung County

Enter this tourist village, freely pose and check-in with many strange angles.

The name Bo Nong has existed for a long time, and after the Japanese rule, this name has been used until now. Many legends say that the Bo Nong people were born from rocks, from gourds, and from feces. Legend has it that in ancient times, a gourd fell from the sky. When the gourd broke, a man and a woman appeared, and the descendants of this man and woman are now the Bo Nong people!

Taitung has a developed agriculture thanks to the fresh climate and rich soil. In Yanping, the Bu Nong people are mainly farmers. Their livelihood comes from growing crops and raising livestock. Traditional food and drink include staple agricultural products such as millet, corn, and sweet potatoes. Nowadays, the Bu Nong villagers eat rice (cooked from rice) and sweet potatoes as their main meals; side dishes include wild vegetables, seaweed, and woody beans.

The Bo Nong people have a strong, muscular physique, dark skin, and a strong voice. The Bo Nong people's clothing and jewelry are traditional clothes made from animal skin, jute, etc. The Bo Nong people follow a patriarchal system. This ethnic minority has a concept of Spirits (Hanitu), believing in the power of individuals; illness and disaster are all related to Spirits. The ear-piercing ceremony is a popular Spirit worship activity of theirs. There are also other rituals such as dancing to pray for a bountiful harvest.

They have a talent for folk music. The music of the Bo Nong people is famous for the "Eight-piece Harmony" used in the sacrificial ceremony to pray for a good millet crop. Every year, around November and December, the Bo Nong people hold a ceremony to germinate millet seeds, praying for a good harvest. After the ceremony ends, they choose young men and women to gather in a circle and sing a prayer for a successful millet crop.

They believe that the sweet lyrics and chords are transmitted to the gods, heard by heaven and earth, and blessed for the villagers. Sincerely praying for the millet to grow abundantly, the branches to be heavy, and the harvest to be bountiful, they sing with a burning, reverent and sacred heart.

Tourists watch Bo Nong ethnic music performance

At the Bounong Recreational Village in Yanping, Taitung, we experienced their traditional animal skin carving techniques, tried our hand at hunting, and enjoyed ethnic music performances, including the tribe’s classic eight-piece chord dance for a bountiful harvest. This was the highlight of our tour to the tribe.

In particular, visitors can enjoy local specialties. All dishes including rice, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc. are local organic products.

There are currently 16 recognized Austronesian tribes in Taiwan. There are a total of 600,000 people, accounting for about 2.6% of Taiwan's population.

MUST-SEE PHOTO SERIES IN TAITUNG BUNUN:

Local artisans teach tourists the technique of carving images on animal skins.

Swing the hammer hard...

Experience as a "sculptor"

A sample of the craft

Finished product

"Harvest" hand-made souvenirs

Try your hand at hunting. Looks intense!

Amateur Archers

Dance and sing for good harvest

Gift giving ceremony for visitors

Food from locally grown ingredients

"The shadow of the porch is tilted/ My private sorrow is a lonely one" (Kieu)

Source: https://nld.com.vn/doc-la-lang-dan-toc-giai-tri-bo-nong-196250325114932647.htm