746 refers to the number of indigenous villages officially ratified by Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) from 2010 until 2015. Entrances is a personal project for me to visit every village on the list.
There are eight indigenous townships in Pingtung County. Sandimen sits at the northernmost corner bordering Maolin District Kaohsiung City. In Sandimen, twelve indigenous villages under ten tsuns (state administration unit) are ratified; ten of them are Paiwan with a number of 6,875 residents and two are predominantly Rukai with a number of 860 residents. Most villages are reachable via Pingtung County Highway 185 (better known as Highway Along the Foothills), but those closer to the offshoots of Central Mount Range require a route combination of Provincial Highway 24 (also known as Wutai Highway) and Pingtung County Highway 31.
Talamakau (762 residents; Altitude: 206.2 m)
Talamakau is the first village for a visitor driving southbound on Pingtung County Highway 185 to see. The majority of residents are Rukai, who moved here either from Maolin to its north or Wutai to its southeast.
Some famous craftspeople of traditional Rukai art come from Talamakau. Indeed, the village itself is a wonderful exhibition. It will be ranked high on the list of beautiful Formosan villages.
(Photo: Monument at the entrance to Cavak)
Cavak (888 residents; Altitude: 154.4 m)
Not to be outshone by its Rukai neighbor, the Paiwan village of Cavak also has its story to tell.
On the one hand, it harbors a very popular water park called 'Palace of Poseidon' which attracts a number of tourists in nice weather.
On the other, the winner of the Best Indigenous Singer of 2018 Golden Melody Award, Seredau, comes from this village. She attributes her success to Cavak and its people. It is they that made her a warrior of song, she said.
(Photo: Entrance Monument and Illustrated Direction Signs at Djineljepan)
Djineljepan (572 residents; Altitude: 149.2 m)
Also a Paiwan village, Djineljepan is smaller in both scale and fame.
Nevertheless, the residents collectively revitalized the space of an abandoned elementary school and turned it into a gallery of children's folk games. Toilets were even made into colorful mushrooms!
Illustrated direction signs in the village are another example of local creativity.
Valjulu (402 residents; Altitude: 134.9 m)
Valjulu is next to Djineljepan. While it's not so different from other Paiwan villages, I am quite perplexed by the horse-riding warrior at its entrance.
Paiwan warrior riding a horse? I don't know, but my guts tell me it's a misrepresentation of the Chinese translation (or transliteration) of Valjulu, which is exactly 'Horse'.
Sagaran (691 residents; Altitude: 108.5 m)
Sagaran is a Paiwan village on the right bank of Ko-she River.
It has a large monument gateway covering two drive lanes at one side, and this beautiful sculptured stone pavilion is found in the village. In addition to common Paiwan totems (hundred-pace snake and sun) and Paiwan hunter-warriors, in the pavilion there is a table and a carved pole commemorating ancestral spirits.
Like that Cavak gives birth to Seredau, Sagaran also has cradled a famous pop rock singer; that is Yen Chih-lin of the Power Station.
Tjailjaking (877 residents; Altitude: 127.6 m)
Tjailjaking is also famous, not for its Paiwan character, but for a recreation park developed and managed by non-Paiwan entrepreneurs. Paragliding is the most popular activity in the park.
For me, it is the village of friends and colleagues. I consider them lucky to have this decorated and organized community.
Timur (1,752 residents; Altitude: 271.8 m)
Leaving Pingtung County Highway 185 for Provincial Highway 24, I entered Timur. This Paiwan village needs no introduction. Home to famous artists such as Sakuliu, it is a magnet for tourists in love with nature and Paiwanness. Residents here do not hesitate to show their heritage as it brings them pride and confidence.
Tjavatjavang (410 residents; Altitude: 448.7 m)
A little further up on Provincial Highway 24, I saw the Paiwan village of Tjavatjavang, and officially entered the coffee plantation of Sandimen Township. 'Djulis' or Formosa quinoa is also recently developed into cash crop by the Paiwan in Pingtung and Taitung.
I was told the Church is more of a landmark than the metal entrance to the village. This village sits at a steep slope, facing the mountains. Such is the geography fit for the growth for coffee.
Kingdalruwane (98 residents; Altitude: 702.9 m)
Tjukuvulj (162 residents; Altitude: 857.5 m)
Tjusepayuan (367 residents; Altitude: 705.7 m)
Speaking of coffee, Sandimen Township is most famous for De-wen Coffee.
De-wen is the tsun that comprises of one Rukai village (Kingdalruwane) and two Paiwan villages (Tjukuvulj and Tjusepayuan). These three villages are reached by taking Pingtung County Highway 31 after Provincial Highway 24.
Many residents here are involved in the coffee business. The local said coffee was introduced by the Japanese in the early twentieth century. Since then, it has been their daily drink and means of livelihood. What makes their coffee special? Geography. They said.
However, it is also geography that forces some of them to relocate to the Base of Changjhih Lily Permanent Housing Program because typhoons and rainfalls are simply too dangerous for them to live in the high mountains. When I visited on September 1st, nevertheless, I encountered with many residents still preferring their own home.
Paridrayan (754 residents; Altitude: 155.2 m)
Paridrayan or Tavalan (as shown on the Rinari Entrance Monument) is another Paiwan village that suffers from the wrath of nature and forced displacement. After Typhoon Morakot, residents were required to relocate to the Base of Rinari, in spite of pleads and protests. It is said, among the indigenous villages that were moved to Rinari, Paridrayan or Tavalan is probably the most unwilling. Therefore, some sneak back to the old village regardless.
Sandimen Township 三地門鄉
Talamakau 青葉部落
Cavak 青山部落
Djineljepan 安坡部落
Valjulu 馬兒部落
Sagaran 口社部落
Tjailjaking 賽嘉部落
Timur 三地部落
Tjavatjvang 達來部落
Kingdalruwane 金大露安部落（德文村，部分遷至長治百合基地）
Tjukuvulj 嘟估甫了部落（德文村）
Tjusepayuan 北巴部落（德文村）
Paridrayan或Tavalan 大社部落（遷至禮納里永久屋基地）
Here I thank my company: Eleng (Rukai).
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