Tuban Community welcomes you~
- The duration of daily activities may vary based on the festival conditions.
- Our unit participated in the festival on October 25, 2023, and most visitors typically stay for 4-7 hours.
- The festival is held every five years (last held in October 2023), and the next festival dates may differ. Please pay attention to the information announced by Daren Township Office.
The Maljeveq Five-Year Festival is the most grand, solemn, and esteemed ceremonial event of worship, prayers, and ancestral rituals within the Paiwan tribe. Notable rituals include protective and purification ceremonies conducted from October 18th to 23rd for the village's safety and the smooth conduct of the festival. On October 21st, there is a ceremony involving Rattan ball-spearing for underage deities, while on October 25th, ceremonies for welcoming deities and ancestors, Rattan ball-spearing and blessings, and bidding farewell to deities and ancestors are conducted.
Introduction
Imagery Park entrance of Tuban Community
(If guided tours are available during the five-year festival, reservations can be made through the event's official website for that year.) Check in here and meet with the tour guide. To facilitate a deeper understanding of the festival's significance for visitors and to respect local culture, the Daren Township Office collaborates with cultural and educational units to train and arrange tour groups with guides stationed at significant points.
The village tour includes visits to the Imagery Park entrance, Sabari Art Studio, Touban Catholic Church, and the ancestral chief's house of the organizing family. This tour provides insights into Touban Village's migration history, the integration of Paiwan culture, arts, traditions, and beliefs. It culminates at the Five-Year Festival Ritual Grounds to witness the captivating Thorn Ball Blessing Ceremony, the centerpiece of the festival.
Rattan Ball Spearing & Blessing Ceremony
The Rattan Ball Spearing & Blessing Ceremony is crucial, where the priest casts rattan balls representing luck and misfortune, lifted by warriors atop bamboo poles reaching four stories high. While it seems competitive, the tribe believes that ancestral spirits have already chosen the warriors who will strike the ball. Before each rattan ball is thrown, the chief shaman assigns its significance. The warrior who successfully strikes any of the ten balls with specified meanings will receive the highest honor and blessings.
Paqeljing
Provided by the Association of South-Link Health Care Promotion for Taitung County the meal consists of non-toxic grains and locally grown vegetables prepared using traditional Paiwan cooking methods. It's an irresistible taste of goodness for everyone.
Ritual after the ceremony
The day when the ball-spearing ritual finishes, the shamans will bring the offerings to the west of the community to show their appreciation to the ancestral spirits and to send them off. The warriors will bring the needle sections of the bamboo poles to every family to receive blessings. The shamans will also lift the spells that are supposed to keep the evil and animals from interrupting the ceremony. When this is done, it means that everything in life goes back to normal.
