Project Overview

Taiwan is a part of the Austronesian, and Hualien is the birthplace of Austronesian culture. With the theme of "Hometown of the Austronesian (nalacolan no timolay a kasafinacadan)", this joint festival deepens the connection of the local community through the linking, discussion, and construction of the culture and art of the indigenous peoples, and realizes the vision of "Let Hualien go international and the world visit Hualien".
The event was held for three days in a row, with the themes of "Night of Xiuguluan River", "Night of Hualian River" and "Night of Chilai Plain". On the first day, the "Night of the Xiuguluan River" featured traditional festival songs and dances sung by Hualien's local ethnic groups as well as well-known dance troupes of indigenous peoples from other counties and cities. On the second day, the "Night of the Hualien River", tribal groups from the Hualien River Basin present spectacular performances. On the third day of the festival, "Night on the Chilai Plains" featured Sika Bari, a performance by Taroko elementary school students. The event brought together more than 20 performances by outstanding national and local groups. With more than 150 booths on site, both tourists and locals can deeply understand the charm of Hualien's distinctive indigenous culture.

Organisation

Hualien County Government

Project Brief

Every year, the " Hualien County Joint Indigenous Harvest Festival " invites all the indigenous groups in Hualien to gather and show their cultures through music and dance. This year, the Austronesians, who have traveled from Tahiti, joined the event and deepened the visitor's impression of the indigenous peoples through multi-cultural exchanges. The event allows tribal leaders, chiefs, and clansmen to take the stage, bringing a sense of honor and recognition, as well as a sense of glory.
In addition to the wonderful music and dance performances on the stage, the grand finale of the event, which was danced by thousands of people under the stage, was even more eye-catching. The audience became one of the performers from the role of tourists, deepening their emotional connection to the event. The more than 100 booths around the event included local traditional food, exquisite tribal clothing and textiles, and handicrafts created by tribal craftsmen, which were an impressive experience for both tribesmen and first-time visitors. The event not only promotes the economic value of the tribal industry but also fulfills the event's purpose of promoting indigenous culture.

Project Need

Since Taiwan is the birthplace of the Austronesian people, the theme of the event is "Hometown of the Austronesian (nalacolan no timolay a kasafinacadan)". In addition to the six indigenous peoples from Taiwan, the Austronesian from Tahiti were invited to Taiwan to participate in the event. The tribes performed together to deepen the connection of the indigenous people through the of culture and art.

●Marketing Hualien also promotes the indigenous culture
Every year, the Hualien County Joint Indigenous Harvest Festival coincides with the beginning of the Amis’s Harvest Festival. The organizer took the opportunity to publicize the tribal celebrations as well as Hualien's local mountain and sea scenery and the cultures of various ethnic groups. The integrated activities achieve the effect of marketing Hualien and the indigenous people so that more people and even the indigenous communities can have a better understanding of the culture of each tribe's costumes and rituals.

●Step onto the international stage while retaining the local character
In recent years, the event has been gradually internationalized in the hope of creating the visual experience of an international art exhibition. In addition to the indigenous people, the event invited teams from other counties and cities to exchange ideas and bring more diversified performances. The spotlight is placed on the local indigenous communities to realize the vision of the event, "Let Hualien go international and the world visit Hualien".

User Experience

In 2023, the three-day " Hualien County Joint Indigenous Harvest Festival " attracted more than 120,000 people, a record high. The nighttime dance program with thousands of people also set a new record for the number of participants. During the summer vacation, local hotels and B&Bs are almost fully booked. The excitement of the event attracted people to return year after year. In addition to tourists from other countries and cities, some international tourists came to Taiwan for the event. Some people have commented that the diversity and innovation of the event have surprised them every year.

Sustainability

The promotion of indigenous culture is a form of cultural sustainability. In recent years, specific environmental practices have been applied, minimizing the use of disposable materials and gradually adopting natural materials, such as betel leaves and wood, so that people visiting from the city can experience the natural atmosphere.
The concept of sustainability also extended to the bazaar. In addition to opening at least 10 charity booths, the bazaar did not provide disposable tableware to visitors. The event promoted the rental of tableware or bringing your own to avoid generating large amounts of disposable garbage. Trash cans were also set up to call on the public to separate garbage properly and contribute to environmental protection. The event also incorporated e-payment, which not only increases the convenience of payment but also reduces the carbon footprint of banknotes in circulation. The booths incorporate the concept of "slow food", presenting local ingredients in a unique way, which gives visitors a fresh experience and reduces the carbon footprint of transporting ingredients.