Still remember on the first day of this year at 0 hour 0 minute 0 second, myself and the team were together in Mulivelivek (初鹿部落), accompanied by local tribal member’s traditional music and dance of blessings and thanksgiving, to greet the new year.
Mulivelivek (初鹿部落) is the northernmost tribe of the Pinuyumayan’s (卑南族) eight communities and ten tribes. Because the location of the tribe is neighboring the area of the Bunun tribe’s (布農族) traditional territories, Mulivelivek (初鹿部落) not only have developed intrepid character, they also have a complete class system since ancient times in order to resist threats.
On the hillside about three kilometers southwest of the Mulivelivek (初鹿部落) there is a place called the Palan Site (巴蘭遺址). According to archaeological findings, the first inhabitants of the Palan Site (巴蘭遺址) settled there at around AD 600 to 1400; to the Pinuyumayan (卑南族) people of Mulivelivek (初鹿部落), this is regarded as a sacred place, and is also an important water source of the tribe. The site is at an altitude of about 600 meters on the hillside, it can be reached after getting off from the parking lot and walking along the natural trail through the mountain forest.
Mulivelivek’s (初鹿部落) Harvest Festival (收穫祭) is held in July of each year. The Harvest Festival (收穫祭) is not only for all the tribe members to thank the blessings of the ancestors for the bountiful harvest, but also the time for male tribe members to express their gratitude to the women, because in Mulivelivek’s (初鹿部落) division of labor, women are responsible for farming; to thank the female tribe members, male tribe members will build a swing about three stories tall to entertain the women, and only the women are allowed to ride on Mulivelivek’s (初鹿部落) swing.
In December, Mulivelivek (初鹿部落) hold their Monkey Ritual (猴祭), Grand Hunting Festival (大獵祭), and Annual Festival (年祭). The Annual Festival (年祭) is held on the 31st of December each year to thank the ancestors for a year's blessings, and also to greet the new year and forget all the bad things of the past. The Annual Festival (年祭) is also the most representative feature of Mulivelivek (初鹿部落) because it is the only one of the Pinuyumayan (卑南族) with dancing from 8 o'clock nonstop to 8 o'clock the next morning; from which we can see the strong will of Mulivelivek (初鹿部落).
With this strong will, this year Mulivelivek (初鹿部落) will also join us together in the 2017Amis Music Festival. Don't miss them when you are there!