Taimali’s Xianglan Village forgotten by the Hakka Affairs Council

The earliest inhabitants of Taitung’s Taimali Township were the Puyuma and Paiwan people. However, following the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, Han Chinese from Hsinchu, Miaoli and Pingtung gradually moved into the area, mostly concentrating in the village of Xianglan. Currently, ethnic Hakka account for over 70% of Xianglan, making it an incredibly unique Hakka village in eastern Taiwan.

Recently, Typhoon Nepartak wrought destruction on the village, inflicting damage to 90% of houses, most of which are no longer habitable. The sugar-apple crop, which is the main source of livelihood in the area, was devastated by the typhoon and will need to be completely replanted. It is estimated that it will take five years for farmers to restore their previous level of income from newly planted crops. Although a number of charitable organizations have come to provide villagers with assistance, no one from the central government has come to express any concern. In particular, the Hakka Affairs Council, which is responsible for all affairs in Hakka communities, appears to have entirely forgotten the people of Xianglan, who continue to wait for help to come. 

Taimali’s Xianglan Village forgotten by the Hakka Affairs Council 

URL：https://www.peopo.org/news/314731

(以下是中文對照)

被客委會遺忘的太麻里香蘭村

照片

台東縣太麻里鄉早期主要的居民為卑南族和排灣族，日據時代之後才陸續地有漢人移入，其中來自新竹、苗栗、屏東一帶來此墾居的客家，多集中在香蘭村。至今，香蘭村的客家族群占了七成以上，是東部相當特殊的客家庄。

尼伯特颱風重創香蘭村，九成的房舍受損，大多數都無法再居住。香蘭村的重要農作物釋迦，在強颱尼伯特的摧殘後，也必須挖除重種。想要維持並恢復農民過去的基本生計，農民估計需要五年。雖然香蘭村有許多的慈善團體進來幫忙，可是中央政府單位卻沒有人來關心，特別是掌管客家事務的客委會，似乎忘了這裡，鄉親們也都在等待客委會的作為。