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Members of the Drekay (Rukai) indigenous tribe have lived in what is now Kaohsiung's Maolin District for generations. The Drekay have a vibrant culture which flourishes in the forms of glamorous attire, sculpture and other arts, and distinctive tribal cuisine. Traditionally, the tribe was structured as a patriarchal hierarchy with chieftains, nobles, warriors and commoners. Land ownership was dominated by the chieftains. Food from hunting and harvesting was always submitted to the chieftains, who then made a fair and equal distribution of produce to each family.
Maolin District is renowned for its mountain scenery, and the Purple Butterfly Valley is a butterfly migration zone of international significance. In the peak months of November to March, visitors may see crowds of Euploeini butterflies dancing amid the trees and walkways. Nearby, the Lovers' Gorge Waterfalls are a major attraction. Maolin National Scenic Area Administration has established a walking trail connecting the first level of the waterfall to the second level, but there are five levels in total. It takes 10 minutes to walk to the second level, and there visitors can appreciate views of the cascade. When one is near the waterfall, breezes filled with tiny drops of water blow in one's face and hair. Listening to the sound of the river and observing the rich foliage can purify one's mind.
Duona Suspension Bridge on Kaohsiung Rural Route No. 132 is 223m long and 103m high, making it one of the highest bridges of its type in East Asia. From it, visitors can enjoy panoramic views. However, standing on it does take some courage. Visitors can also look down on the road bridge, with its distinctive eagle sculpture, and perhaps walk all the way to the small community of Duona. Another popular sightseeing spot in this area is the circular hill named Longtoushan (also known as Dragon's Head Mountain). This place used to be called Eagle Valley; the mountain is shaped like a dragon lying on the ground, and it was once usual to see a dozen or more crested serpent eagles gliding in the sky. Although eagles do not visit the area as often as before, outsiders still see them occasionally.
When reaching the spine of Longtoushan, one can hike to a pavilion. Legend has it that this is where wives waited for their husbands to return from hunting expeditions. Because of the pavilion's location, the women could see far into the distance, and would thus get plenty of warning of the warriors' return. They would then rush home and prepare meals for their husbands. According to older members of the tribe, the pavilion was also a place where the tribe would dance and pray to ancestral spirits, asking them to protect young men about to embark on a long journey away from home, either to study or do compulsory military service. The ritual was a time to bid farewell to those young men.
Duona is located in the most remote part of Maolin, and it boasts the best preserved indigenous tribal culture within the district. However, the number of stone slab houses has declined due to modernization. Building a stone slab house takes 50 members of the tribe about half a year. Therefore, each stone slab house is a precious cultural asset, as the process of building one represents a collaborative effort. These dwellings can survive typhoons and earthquakes. Furthermore, the material means the homes are cool in summer yet warm in winter.
The inhabitants of Duona use stone slabs not only for constructing houses, but also for barbecuing. Many visitors are keen to taste wild boar meat cooked on stone slabs. Wild boar is incredibly lean, and it takes skill to present this meat with a pleasant texture. Another highly recommended local delicacy is tribal sausage filled with taro and boar meat.
As you return to the big city, driving a car along winding mountain roads, you are sure to agree that nature seems to have a magical power to wash away stress. |
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茂林是原住民魯凱族人世居之地，位於高雄與屏東縣交界，傳承百年山中文化，華麗的服飾、雕刻藝術及部落飲食，是魯凱獨特的文化風情。茂林部落昔日是封建社會，土地歸頭目擁有，分為頭目、貴族、勇士、平民四個階層，所有獵物及農作收成要拿到頭目家裡，再平均分配給部落各個家庭。
紫蝶谷，每年11月到3月，紫斑蝶在此繁衍下一代，從這仰望茂林部落景色，成群紫斑蝶悠悠伴隨身邊的感覺相當奇妙，彷彿童話故事裡漫步在佈滿蝴蝶的鄉間小道。距紫蝶谷不遠處有座情人谷瀑布，從吊橋沿步道步行約10分鐘就可到達，由下往上共5層瀑布，目前只能由旁邊的階梯步道抵達第二層，可以欣賞瀑布的磅礡氣勢，是消暑最好去處，坐在溪邊小堤防泡腳還會有小魚來清潔腳底板，微風夾帶瀑布微露、隨風搖擺的花草樹木，冰涼清澈的溪水把城市中的繁雜徹底洗淨，在世外桃源把自己歸真。
沿高132線道，可來到目前東南亞第一高（橋體淨高）的多納高吊橋，全長223公尺、高103公尺，老實說，站在這麼高的吊橋，雖然能夠俯瞰四周景物及巍巍山脈，但是真的需要很大的勇氣才能走完，讓人不自覺地加快腳步。繼續往茂林最深山的多納部落前進，經過在吊橋上可看到的多納大橋，路旁有隻巨大老鷹雕像，緊鄰的是茂林三大名山之一的龍頭山，由於山的樣貌看起來就像龍趴在地上，不過舊稱其實是老鷹谷，在生態還未被破壞前，據說上空時常盤旋著數十隻大冠鷲，如今雖然鮮少有老鷹飛翔，第一次跟老鷹這麼近距離接觸，竟然是在馬路中間，也是一次奇特遭遇。
繼續往前進到龍頭山上的背脊，有處特別景點「望夫崖」。相傳是妻子等待老公出征或狩獵凱旋的最佳地點，站在這裡可以直視對面及橋下景物，妻子看到勇士凱旋後會馬上回家準備豐盛的菜餚迎接老公，但經過部落耆老解釋後才明白，原來老一輩的人稱這裡為「惜別站」，以前多納部落青年，出去讀書、當兵、出遠門，家族的人會以此為告別之處，在這裡跳舞祈禱祖靈保佑，讓遊子能平安回來，並目送青年。
終於來到了位於最深山的「多納部落」，是茂林區傳統文化保存最完整的一個部落，雖然不敵現代化入侵，原本引以為傲的石板屋所剩不多，也讓僅存的石板屋更顯珍貴。石板屋象徵多納部落族人的團結，因為一間石板屋的建成需要半年至一年，需要集結50個左右的人力才能完工，幾乎要動員部落的青年們團結合作，無法獨力完成。建成的石板屋較能抵擋颱風地震，並且冬暖夏涼。
多納部落盛產石板，也就以美味的石板烤肉聞名遐邇，一定很多人好奇，嘴裡吃到的真是山豬肉嗎？我很肯定、斬釘截鐵的說是！為什麼呢？因為是在山上賣的豬嘛！好啦，開個玩笑。其實山豬是沒有辦法用烤的唷，因為山豬的肌肉太多 ，咀嚼起來非常硬，烹調方式一定要先燉過才能軟化肉質，吃起來才會好吃。所以來到多納，不要執著一定要吃正統的烤山豬肉。後面一圈一圈在石板上面烤的食物，相信大家沒看過吧，因為這是部落裡自己製作的部落香腸，裡面的餡料是芋頭粉跟豬肉。吃起來的口感有點像是吃鮭魚卵 ，咬一口裡面的芋頭粉就爆開，只差沒有在舌尖上彈跳。
回程的路上，仔細咀嚼今天的旅程，浪漫、刺激、傷感、恐懼的感受通通都有，一路上穿梭在叢山峻嶺中，真正地讓大自然洗滌蒙在我們心上那一層厚厚的灰。 |
