2021 Chishang Township Amis Second Harvest Festival
You’ve probably visited Chishang before because of its rustic charm. Maybe, you even strolled down Brown Boulevard or attended the annual Autumn Rice Harvest Arts Festival. This time, make sure you come down for an indigenous harvest festival and experience a side of Chishang that you’ve never seen before. This January 23rd, join the Amis as they host their first Second Harvest Festival of the year. Get swept away in the merry-making as you sing and dance the afternoon away.
Many Taiwanese know Chishang as the rice capital of the country that boasts two harvests every year. Rice also serves as an important staple for the Amis of Chishang. During the Harvest Festival, the local Amis thank the gods for their past blessings as well as pray for sustained abundance in the future.
Starting in 2019, the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (of Taitung), the Chishang Township Office and the Chishang Farmer’s Association have come together every year to host Taiwan’s only winter Second Harvest Festival. This grand event gathers people from Chishang’s nine Amis villages together right after the harvest. The general public is also cordially invited to celebrate and experience this authentic slice of indigenous culture.
This year marks the 3rd Second Harvest Festival. For the Amis, harvest festivals are their most important and sacred celebrations. During these festivals, the Amis pass on tribal customs as well as strengthen ethnic identity and cultural bonds. The highlight of the Second Harvest Festival is when over 500 Amis wearing their colorful traditional garb join hands to form a circle with thousands of visitors for a spirited dance. The Amis’s inclusive warmth and the festival’s grand, jubilant atmosphere is moving for everyone involved.
This harvest festival centers around singing and dancing, which gives you a great chance to get to know authentic indigenous traditions. You will feel the deep appreciation the Amis have for their gods and land through these energetic and vibrant ceremonies. This festival also gives visitors a chance to experience unique elements of Amis art and history firsthand. In addition, the festival will feature other chances to enjoy indigenous song and dance, a bamboo cannon competition and traditional kite flying. After attending the Chishang Township Amis Second Harvest Festival, you’ll certainly gain a deeper understanding of the cultural landscape in the East Rift Valley.
Date：Saturday, Jan 23, 2021
Location：Chishang Township Farmer’s Association Theater
Time：To Be Determined
Official Website
