The people of the Bunun Tribe live at the greatest elevation compared to all other Taiwanese indigenous tribes. Historically, they have lived on mountainous areas, such as Jade Mountain, but migrated to coastal plains until they were pushed back in the 17th century by the Han Dynasty and moved back towards mountainous areas. The Bunun people are split into 6 different groups, each with their own distinct cultures and dialects. The Takiitudu group, Takiibakha, Takbanuaz which is the oldest Bunun tribe, Takiivatan, Isubukun which is the largest division, and the Tapukul group.
In a cultural aspect, past Bunun tribes used slash and burn agriculture for their crops such as corn, sweet potatoes, and millet. However, in the modern day their diets have shifted toward rice and sweet potatoes as their main foods, as well as wild fungi and pigeon peas. When Japan occupied Taiwan, growth of millet declined to the point where almost no one grew the crop. In recent efforts, the Bunun community has been trying to revive the millet industry.
Regarding their clothing, traditionally, only the women of the tribe were allowed to make clothing. There is a taboo in Bunun culture where if men or children touched the loom, the men’s hunts would fail and the children’s eyesight would deteriorate as they grew older. The traditional clothes are made of pelts, linen, and cotton. The cloth would be made out of raw plants such as ramie, an Asian hemp, which was then processed and dyed. Raw thread made from the plants would be boiled in charcoal to turn the thread white. Bunun weavers found inspiration from the hundred face pit viper, or “kaviath,” and incorporated such designs on their clothing. Other designs and embroideries included straight lines, triangles, and mosaics. However, there are only 5 main colors in Bunun clothing: white, black, green, yellow, and red. The threads are dyed into these colors through natural pigments. For instance, the black color is obtained by burying the thread in rocks and mud. The red comes from boiling it in suma red wood, green from sulugor leaf sap, and yellow from pounded saninag roots.
Bunun traditional beliefs is based off Hanitu, or spirit. This word refers to the spirit of everything in nature, and each spirit has its own internal power. In tradition, the Bunun tribes believe that humans have 2 Hanitus, an evil spirit which brings violence and anger, and a good spirit which brings generosity. According to legend, Dihanin, meaning heaven, is the origin of everything. The Bunun also believe that dreams can predict a person’s future luck. Most importantly, there are many rituals and songs still practiced today in belief that there will be a prosperous hunting and agricultural season. These are events such as the Malahtangian ritual, or Ear Shooting Festival, Malastapang, a declaration of one’s heroic deeds, or singing the Pasiputput, a song for growing millet.
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