I Received a Name from the Bunun Tribe in Eastern Taiwan – Visit Report from Bunun Leisure Farm (Part 1)

Taiwan is home to many indigenous tribes beyond the Han Chinese population. Among them, the Bunun tribe, who have lived in the highlands of Taiwan’s southern Central Mountain Range, are known for preserving their unique culture and traditions to this day. In this article, I’ll share my experience visiting the “Bunun Tribe Leisure Farm” in Taitung County, where I had the opportunity to experience their traditional culture.

About the Bunun Tribe

The Bunun tribe once lived in the highlands of Taiwan’s southern Central Mountain Range, at elevations exceeding 2,000 meters. Their lifestyle was closely connected with nature, primarily focusing on hunting and agriculture. Hunting culture, in particular, forms an important part of their identity, and various related rituals, songs, and dances have been passed down to the present day.

Access to Bunun Tribe Leisure Farm and Performance Information

The Bunun Tribe Leisure Farm, a facility where you can experience Bunun tribal life, is located about a 30-minute drive from Taitung Station. While it’s possible to access via public transportation, bus services are limited, so we opted to rent a car for this trip. Public transportation in eastern Taiwan isn’t always convenient, so renting a car is recommended for enjoying sightseeing freely.

The farm offers performances showcasing Bunun traditional culture twice daily (10:30 AM and 2:00 PM). However, performances may be canceled if online reservations don’t reach 30 people, so I recommend checking the reservation status on their website beforehand.

We visited two days after a typhoon had passed. Perhaps because many locals were refraining from tourism due to the typhoon’s impact, the number of reservations was only 6 until shortly before the performance, putting the event in jeopardy. However, reservations suddenly increased the evening before—possibly due to a group booking—and ultimately more than 30 spectators gathered.

The Farm’s Atmosphere

I explored the farm while waiting for the performance to begin. Buildings that maintain traditional architectural styles while incorporating modern amenities are scattered against the backdrop of lush green mountains. In the center of the village is a plaza, surrounded by craft workshops, spaces displaying traditional textiles, as well as cafes, restaurants, and lodging facilities.

Particularly impressive were the decorations found throughout the site. The Bunun tribe’s distinctive geometric patterns and hunting culture ornaments created a fascinating harmony with the modern buildings.

The site actually offers various cultural experience programs including craft workshops, traditional food tasting, and agricultural experiences. I hope to report on these experiences in a separate article in the future.

The Performance Begins

As 10:30 approached, a small air of anticipation began to drift among the audience seated leisurely around the central stage. Then, Bunun performers dressed in traditional attire appeared and began speaking gently in Mandarin Chinese.

They explained that the performance would recreate the annual life cycle of the Bunun tribe. It would include rituals and prayers of men heading out to hunt, the lives of women who remained behind, the joy of sharing harvests, and ceremonies celebrating children’s growth. Just hearing this explanation raised my expectations for the performance about to begin.

Soon, the venue lights dimmed slightly, and the story began.

Traditional Life Portrayal and Interactive Elements

The story begins with a pre-hunting ritual called “Pislaia.” One of the most impressive scenes of the day was the song performed during this solemn ceremony. With a resonance completely different from ordinary choral music, each singer produced sharp, clear voices to create complex harmonies. Going beyond simple fifth and third harmonies, they layered complex intervals like seconds, sixths, and occasionally augmented fourths, gradually modulating and developing. The experience felt like listening to the voices of the mountains themselves, creating a profound sense of immersion.

Next came the scene of heading out to hunt. The scene where experienced hunters advise young people that humility and respect for nature are most important in hunting provided deep insights for those of us living in the modern world.

Bunun hunting has strict rules—hunting is not permitted year-round, and there are rules against hunting young animals or those that are pregnant or nursing. These disciplines reflect their values of coexistence with nature.

The life of women who remained in the village is also vividly portrayed. The performance shows them engaging in agricultural work, weaving cloth, doing household chores, and brewing traditional millet wine. Particularly impressive was the “ma-is-put,” a brewing song sung during work breaks. The sight of women finding joy even in their labor was memorable.

There was an unexpected development in the middle of the performance. With the call to “share the joy of harvest with everyone,” millet wine (a traditional specialty of eastern Taiwan made from foxtail millet) was served to randomly selected audience members. Unfortunately, it didn’t come to us, and even if it had, I would have had to decline as I was driving. Still, seeing the delighted expressions of those who were chosen made me happy too (I did get to try various millet wines that evening, so please read the experience report below as well).

The men returning from hunting share their catch with the entire village. This seems to be an important ritual that means more than just distributing food. The song “Pasibutbut” sung while sharing the game had a majestic resonance that seemed to reach the heavens. This is also known as the millet harvest song and is world-famous for its distinctive eight-voice harmony.

In this scene symbolizing community bonds, not only the adults on stage but a wide age range from children around 4 years old to people in their 40s participated. The sight of little girls freely moving around during the performance seemed like a natural snapshot of village life.

An Unexpected Experience — Bunun Naming Ceremony

There was another surprising development toward the end of the performance. Several audience members were selected to experience a traditional Bunun naming ceremony. In an atmosphere reminiscent of Disney’s Turtle Talk, I was unexpectedly chosen.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I stepped forward to the stage where the naming ceremony took place with traditional rituals. With the declaration “Your name is ‘Tahai’!” I received a necklace with “TAHAI” written on it. At that moment, I unexpectedly became the recipient of a Bunun name. Though I was confused by this sudden event, I felt a warm feeling as if I had been accepted as a member of the Bunun tribe.

This ceremony is actually a reenactment of the birth and naming ritual for babies. Usually, they invite participation from children around elementary school age, saying “Brave children, please raise your hands.” On this day, there weren’t many children of the appropriate age, so it seems relatively young adult audience members were selected instead. Although it was a bit embarrassing, it became a valuable opportunity to directly experience Bunun traditional culture in an unexpected way.

A Surprising Finale — The Beautiful Harmony of Tradition and Modernity

And with the final performance of “Masinasia,” I once again felt deeply moved.

For the closing piece, I had assumed it would be a traditional indigenous piece using traditional percussion instruments. However, the performers suddenly appeared holding bass guitars and electric guitars. I couldn’t help but be surprised by this dramatic shift from the traditional atmosphere we had experienced until then.

When they began to play, I was even more surprised. While the lyrics were traditional, sung in the Bunun language, the musical arrangement was a surprisingly sophisticated, urban pop music style. Moreover, their playing skills were excellent, with a level of professionalism comparable to a professional band.

This experience made me feel ashamed of my own preconceptions. What was unfolding before my eyes was their way of life—preserving traditional culture while boldly incorporating modern expressions.

This song is actually an original composition by Kiwa Takihusungan, a young Bunun songwriter. I felt a deep insight in his approach of crafting lyrics in his mother tongue while applying modern arrangements. Through this song, which included call-and-response elements in the Bunun language, the hearts of the Bunun people on stage and the audience became one.

Conclusion

The performance of Masinasia became a symbolic finale that epitomized my experience that day. They neither cling stubbornly to the past nor allow themselves to be swallowed by the wave of modernization—they maintain a wonderful balance between the two.

This probably reflects their lives in modern Taiwanese society. Cherishing their roots while flexibly accepting and elevating modern culture. This balanced way of life may be the secret to how the Bunun tribe continues to nurture their rich culture even today.

The experience at the Bunun Tribe Leisure Farm, witnessing the beautiful fusion of tradition and modernity, gave me discoveries that went beyond mere tourism. I’ve focused on the theatrical performance in this article, but there are still many attractive programs remaining, such as craft experiences, traditional cuisine, and agricultural experiences in the village. I hope to report on these experiences in detail on another occasion. Why not embark on your own journey of wonderful cultural experiences that will continue to surprise you?

Masinasia – Kiwa Takihusungan