Seniors Take in the Aboriginal Harvest Festival

One of Taiwan’s “must see” occasions is the Aboriginal Harvest Festival. There is no better time for seniors to experience these unique tribal cultures than at their festivals, when the tribes people, clad in colorful headdresses and costumes, perform their traditional dances and songs.

The most important traditional ceremony for the Amis people and the Ami’s Harvest Festival held annually at Hualien is to show the people’s thanks and appreciation to the gods and to pray for an even better harvest in the coming year. Senior travelers will find that this festival is held every July to September.

The Harvest Festival of the Rukai

It appears to me that there are several Festivals however the “official one” is the Rukai Harvest Festival. It’s a ceremony held after the annual harvest is completed, for the purpose of showing appreciation to the gods for a good harvest and to pray for prosperity and peace. In addition, war, hunting, wealth, and implements of farming, are all part of the ceremony. It can be seen as a ceremony encompassing the entire breadth of Rukai life.

Seniors Watch Mysterious Customs and Traditions Come to Life

The Indigenous Ceremonies and the mysterious customs and traditions of the indigenous tribes give an extra dimension to Taiwan’s culture. The China Post invites seniors visitors to “make it a cultural trip” where you can enjoy local customs and fun times. You’ll find a mouthful of unusual names and places once you arrive.

This major celebration is directed to the abundant crop harvest and gratitude to ancestors’ blessing over the past year. Held from July to the beginning of September, Taiwan’s aboriginal tribes that include Amis, Beinan, Kavalan, Rukkai and Paiwan all participate in the festival. The exact date and scale of the festival is different for each tribe.

Senior citizens can read more about this fun time in Taiwan in the July-August volume of the Smithsonian Magazine. jeb