On a Hunt with a Bunun Member of Kamcing Tribal Village—Maciang Farm
If you’re curious about the indigenous culture, a trip to Kamcing Village in Haiduan Township for a tribal hunting experience class might be just the thing for you. The Bunun people are most known for their courage and fortitude. Hunting is not only part of life; it’s an embodiment of the Bunun tribal spirit. You will get an up-close and personal experience of how the Bunun hunters coexist with nature, showing us the world in a larger and more natural context, away from our cement jungles.
Skilled Bunun hunter Dama Ciang sees the hunting culture gradually fading away in the face of modernization and is worried that hunting techniques will be lost over time. He returned to his hometown to establish the Maciang Farm in Kamcing Tribal Village. Besides farming and running a small general store, Dama Ciang also offers hunting experience classes for both the younger generation of his tribe and anyone else interested in learning the traditional Bunun hunting techniques.
Our hunting experience began in the forest area designated for trap-setting, which is the first skill a Bunun hunter must learn. Traps come in different sizes depending on the variety of animals that are being hunted. A snare trap can catch prey by the leg. Traps made with a rock, wood plank, and bamboo are triggered when an animal comes for the bait. It feels like a huge accomplishment once you make a trap that works!
Besides traps, a spear is quite a useful weapon for a hunter, especially when you are going after the prized wild boar! From these skills that have been passed down for generations, you truly get to experience the wisdom of the Bunun ancestors.
Besides the hunting experience class, you also get to sample a delicious indigenous meal. The fruit and vegetables grown on Dama Ciang’s farm have received safety certification by the Council of Agriculture. Rest assured; you can enjoy the tasty food since you know that everything you’re eating was grown at the farm. Dama Chiag brings together whatever is available from his farm seasonally into healthy and irresistible dishes such as millet, millet wine, and roasted boar.
Suppose this trip whets your appetite for more Bunun mountain-life experiences. In that case Dama Chiag also offers customized, in-depth experience trips via appointment, including forest camp-outs in which you learn how to live in harmony with nature and will be able to listen clearly to the sounds of the great outdoors and your inner self.
FB page: 崁頂部落-馬提亞の店
- Address: 33, Neighborhood 2, Kanding (Kamcing) Tribal Village, Haiduan Township, Taitung County
- Phone: 089-811-457
- Opening Time: 06:00 – 21:00 (every day except Sunday)
