Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park: Immerse yourself in the heritage of the indigenous people

In the Exchange Learning Community ‑Based Ecotourism & DMO Between Taiwan and Indonesia , the delegation from Indonesia, on July 8, 2025, represented by INDECON and two young native Flores people (Waerebo and Sipijena), had visited the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park. This visit aims to understand efforts to preserve the culture of indigenous peoples and promote education in line with the development of cultural tourism. The park is also known as the largest outdoor museum about indigenous peoples in Taiwan.

At the foot of the verdant Maolin Mountains stands a cultural park that serves as a window into Taiwan’s ancient heritage. The Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park is an 82.6-hectare destination that encapsulates the natural beauty, traditional architecture, and cultural arts of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples. Not only is the park visually stunning, it also takes visitors on a historical journey that brings together two worlds: Taiwan’s indigenous people and the Han Chinese community that later inhabited the island.

Who are the Indigenous People of Taiwan?

Taiwan’s indigenous people, also known as Indigenous Peoples , are an Austronesian ethnic group that has inhabited the island for over 6,000 years. They are divided into 16 official tribes , including the Paiwan, Rukai, Amis, Atayal, and Bunun , each with its own unique language, customs, and arts.

Before the arrival of foreigners, these tribes lived scattered across the mountains and coasts, relying on agriculture, hunting, and fishing. Their traditions are deeply connected to nature—evident in their traditional stone and bamboo houses, and in ceremonies honouring ancestral spirits and nature deities. However, it changed when the wave of Han Chinese migration came in the 17th century.

A Fusion of Two Worlds: Indigenous Taiwanese & Han Taiwanese

Following the arrival of the Dutch, Spanish, and later the migration of Han Chinese (Hokkien and Hakka) during the Qing Dynasty, Taiwan’s demographic composition changed drastically. Today, approximately 97% of Taiwan’s population is of Han Chinese descent, while indigenous people constitute 2.5% of the total population.

The Han people brought intensive agriculture, Confucian culture, and Chinese architecture. While Taiwan’s indigenous people have managed to maintain their culture, art, tradition. Their culture is the focus of the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park.

Explore Indigenous Culture at the Cultural Park

The park is divided into four large zones, each of which shows the life of indigenous people:

• Greeting Area – an exhibition gallery of artifacts and an information center.
• Tamaluwan Area – replicas of traditional houses from 9 major tribes complete with detailed carvings and traditional layouts.
• Naluwan Area – an amphitheater for traditional dance performances, traditional music, and spiritual rituals.
• Fuguwan Area – a hiking trail offering panoramic views of the Ailiao River valley.

In addition, visitors can also learn to make traditional crafts such as rattan weaving, wood carvings, and woven textiles through interactive workshops.

Cultural Performances and Educational Activities

On weekends, the Naluwan area is always bustling with war dance performances, ritual chants, and traditional dramas performed by the indigenous people. This is their way of introducing the long history of struggle to maintain cultural identity amidst Han Taiwanese domination.

Captivating Natural Nuances

With its landscape of verdant hills, suspension bridges, and nature trails, the park is not only a cultural center but also an oasis for nature lovers. Endemic Taiwanese birds and tropical flora enrich the experience of walking through this 82-hectare area.

Interesting Facts

• Indigenous Taiwanese people are part of the Austronesian family whose ancestors also spread to Polynesia, the Philippines, and Eastern Indonesia.
• Taiwan’s indigenous languages are now on the endangered languages list, making their preservation through cultural parks even more important.
• Major festivals such as the Harvest Festival and Mihiv (Ancestral Spirit Ritual) are held in this park every year.

Reference:

Maolin National Scenic Area Administration. (2024, December 4). Taiwan Aboriginal Culture Park . Maolin National Scenic Area. https://www.maolin-nsa.gov.tw/en/attraction/229

Taiwan Indigenous Culture Park Administration. (nd). About the Culture Park . Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park. https://en.tacp.gov.tw/AboutCenter/CulturePark

Council of Indigenous Peoples. (nd). The tribes in Taiwan . Executive Yuan, Republic of China (Taiwan). https://www.cip.gov.tw/en/tribe/grid-list/index.html?cumid=5DD9C4959C302B9FD0636733C6861689

Refugee Studies Centre. (2008). Taiwan: World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples – Indigenous Peoples . United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. https://www.refworld.org/docid/49749c9fc.html Refworld+1Refworld+1

European Guanxi. (2022, February 21). Taiwan’s history of migration: Why it matters today . https://www.europeanguanxi.com/post/taiwan-s-history-of-migration-why-it-matters-today

Chen CH, Yang JH, Chiang CWK, et all. Population structure of Han Chinese in the modern Taiwanese population based on 10,000 participants in the Taiwan Biobank project. Hum Mol Genet. 2016 Dec 15;25(24):5321-5331. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddw346. PMID: 27798100; PMCID: PMC6078601.

International Working Group for Indigenous Affairs. (2024, March 20). The Indigenous World 2024: Taiwan . IWGIA. https://iwgia.org/en/taiwan.html