Alang Ciyakang
The composition of Ciyakang
The Ciyakang tribe is located in the central area of Hualien County, at the foot of the eastern side of the Central Mountain Range. Administratively, it belongs to Xilin Village, Wanrong Township, and is adjacent to Xiulin Township, Fenglin Township, and Shoufeng Township. It is a large village of the Truku people. In the past, a single family of the Truku people constituted a tribe, with relatively few people. Now, however, it is different; many different families have combined to form a new tribe. For example, Ciyakang is composed of more than 20 families (old tribes).
Over a hundred years ago, the Quwtux Pais tribe, living in the Mugua River basin, under the leadership of their chief Karaw Watan, first migrated to Ulay, near today’s Erzishan Hot Springs. There, they built shelters and discovered the abundant mountain resources nearby, deciding to move there entirely. At that time, the Seediq people lived in Ciyakang. Due to territorial disputes, the two tribes went to war at Krumuhan, near Qingchang Mountain. Krumuhan means “the place of battle,” and even today, hunters passing through the area say, “Be cautious here and try not to disturb the mountain spirits!”
After Karaw Watan defeated the Seediq tribe, he formally incorporated the Ciyakang tribe into the traditional territory of the Truku people, becoming the first Truku family to migrate to Ciyakang. In 1914, the Japanese initiated the “Truku War,” mobilizing large numbers of troops and civilians to control the Truku people. They then implemented the “group resettlement policy,” planning several resettlement points at the foot of the mountains and using persuasion, deceit, and force to move the Truku people to lowlands or flatlands.
Under the group resettlement policy, many families from the Liwu River and Mugua River areas were brought in, including families from Rusaw (Luoshao), Tputu (Tianxiang), Tasil (Dasil), Empucing (Lushui), Tkijig (Chongde), Btunux (Batonov), Ptulan (Batolan), Mqmgi (Mukumuyu), Mhiyang (Maheyang), and Gbayang (Xingbaiyang), among others. Each family migrated at different times and through different routes, resulting in many oral stories. Some people traveled by train or bus, while others walked for several kilometers to get here.Different migration routes have also contributed to the rich cultural stories of Ciyakang.
The Place Names of Ciyakang
Many people are unsure about the origin of the name Ciyakang. Some say it was named by the Japanese, while others believe it describes the valley terrain of the Ciyakang or Qingshui River. The mountains are layered like a water container: Yakang, which later became Ciyakang through phonetic alteration. Besides, Ciyakang also has an older name: Rangah Qhuni, meaning “opened tree hole.” This name was given by Karaw Watan, who observed the changes in the Ciyakang River from the mountains. The upper reaches are narrow and small, but the river suddenly widens near the residential area of the tribe, resembling a large tree with branches and leaves, or a deep, open cave.
Ciyakang’s mountains and forests are also rich with place names, such as Tmurak (mountain cucumber), Sipaw (opposite shore), Qicing (shady side of the mountain), and Takaday (high platform). Among them, Takaday is a prehistoric site where ancestors of the Austronesian peoples lived before the Truku and Seediq tribes, known for their jade craftsmanship. Ciyakang holds many historical stories that are worth uncovering and preserving for future generations, so that the people living on this land can continue to tell them.
The Composition of Ciyakang
Xin Gongliao (Traditional Building)
In early 2021, with the support of the Hualien County Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, the Xilin Community Development Association gathered tribal members to build a traditional workshop. The traditional architecture of the Truku tribe primarily uses djima (bamboo) and qhuni (wood) as main building materials. In light of the gradual decline of traditional architecture within the tribe, Xin Gongliao was constructed to preserve and promote this cultural heritage. This new workshop serves as the new landscape at the entrance of the Ciyakang village, complementing tribal tours, traditional food experiences, and the establishment of agricultural life landscapes.
Culture and Health Station (Wen-Jian Station)
The Culture and Health Station, part of the Xilin Community Development Association, was established in 2020. It provides care services for healthy elderly individuals from Monday to Friday. By offering health promotion activities, local cultural courses, and meal services, it creates a suitable environment for the elderly in the tribe. Additionally, it establishes a platform for intergenerational exchange and collaborative learning.
Dementia Care Center
Dementia Care Center provides care services for tribal elders with dementia or suspected dementia. It establishes a care service model suitable for the cultural background of dementia cases, ensuring that elders receive safe, comfortable, and quality care. This improves the quality of life for elders with dementia, alleviates the progression of the disease, and reduces the stress on family caregivers by providing appropriate respite.
AKay Play Life
Established in 2021, Akay Play Life is composed of the youth from the Ciyakang tribe in Wanrong Township, Hualien. The core members include writers, weaving artisans, traditional archers, chefs, English translators, and multimedia producers. Utilizing their skills and the tribe’s resources, they package local life into travel experiences, integrating various media to design diverse cultural tours that enhance local regeneration through tourism. This aims to achieve simultaneous cultural and economic development. In addition to tribal experiences, Akay also organizes camps, catering, market stalls, theater collaborations, and cross-tribal cooperation.
QMPAH Farming Park
“QMPAH Farming Park,” derived from the Truku language meaning labor or work, has currently completed the construction of a traditional bamboo house. This serves as the core for cultural activities and operations within the tribe. Continuous efforts are being made to cultivate and improve this area, aiming to create a better environment for future tribal experiences.
Why is it Called "Sweet" Bird's Nest Fern?
The Truku people love sweet flavors. Although originally a type of wild vegetable and not a staple food in the tribe, hunters would pick the tender leaves to eat when they went up the mountains. The preparation involves stir-frying minced garlic in hot oil, adding the bright green bird’s nest fern, and letting it sizzle in the oil. Then, small dried fish are added and quickly stir-fried over high heat. This creates a fragrant and mouth-watering bird’s nest fern dish that is served hot and fresh.
Sweet Bird's Nest Fern of Ciyakang
Bird’s nest fern is an essential part of the DNA of the Ciyakang tribe, closely intertwined with our daily lives. In Wanrong Township, it thrives in a symbiotic relationship with betel nut trees. The shade provided by these trees offers natural temperature and humidity regulation, making the bird’s nest fern in Wanrong exceptionally moist and slightly sweet.
Historically, bird’s nest fern was one of the wild vegetables that hunters gathered when venturing into the mountains. It was also a key material for constructing the roofs of traditional shelters. Sensitive to heat, the fern benefits from the tree shade, which maintains the ideal environment for its growth. Ciyakang is one of the largest bird’s nest fern growing areas in Wanrong Township and a major production region for bird’s nest fern in Taiwan.
AKAY: Cultivating Ciyakang with Sweat and Living Life Together
Apyang Imiq
Yawas Teylung
Haru
Ray
Bakun Ruiy
Brother Zhiming Pawam
Apyang Imiq
Yawas Teylung
Haru
Ray
Bakun Ruiy
