More than a 1,000 people gathered yesterday to resurrect the Aboriginal heritage of historic Hanpilo (
The gathering was the first in a series of events by the new government to reconstruct Sun Moon Lake and revive it's original Thao culture.
During the event, the near 100 year old Hanpilo building was carefully taken down, brick by brick, for numbering and restoration.
According to the builders the building's parts will be used in the construction of a renovated building which will be completed within six months.
Hanpilo, built in 1901, has been the destination for many celebrity guests visiting Sun Moon Lake, because of its lake and mountain views. During his trip to Sun Moon Lake in 1923, Japanese Emperor Hirohito (
Yesterday's event was called "Witnessing the History and Reconstructing a 100 Year Culture" (
"The Hanpilo project involves more than the reconstruction of the building, it also symbolizes a starting point for healing the victims of cultural and spiritual trauma after the quake," said Luo Wen-chia (
"Another focus of the project is to revive Thao culture, which is now facing extinction."
Historic documents prove the KMT was principally responsible for the near extinction of Thao culture. According to these documents the KMT forced the Thao from their ancestral lands and have been forced to live in another community for the past 30 years.
Kuanghua Island (光華島), located near the center of the lake and called Lalu Island by the Thaos, was considered the sacred home of the tribe's ancestral spirits. But the island's name was changed by the KMT to Huanghua, which means "restoring China." The Thao were then forced to move to Tehua (
Capitalizing on the opportunity that regeneration of the area because of the 921 quake brings, the Thao have decided to return to their ancestral lands.
Nantou County Commissioner Peng Pai-hsien (
"The tourist industry of the Sun Moon Lake scenic spots will hopefully be boosted by the joint efforts of the CCA and local groups" said Peng.
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