Finding Culture Through Agriculture: Rukai Communities at a Post-disaster Recovery Sitein Southern Taiwan

Typhoon Morakot prompted the Taiwan government to relocate several Rukai and Paiwan Indigenous communities (Tikuvulu, Dawadawan, Karamemedesane, Kudrengere, Kinulane and Adiri) into a permanent resettlement site Changzhi Lily in the urbanized area of Pingtung. Since villagers had lived on the mountainside their entire lives, they encountered some unique problems after resettling in the lowlands, far away from their ancestral homes. Adaptation was difficult for many of the residents. Using interviews, participant observations, and literature analysis, this study examined how Indigenous people in these communities rebuilt their homes and maintained their culture in the aftermath of a natural hazard disaster. The resettlement area lacked opportunities for farming which proved to be a major obstacle during transition. More than economics, villagers discovered meanings of their culture through agriculture. It was clear that middle-aged and elderly people found spiritual comfort in traditional farming practices after being relocated. In doing so, they made an unfamiliar area into a place called home.