Fieldnote_MAR 25 2023 _ NALUWAN_Sherily

The sky was gray, and I felt a bit nervous. The train departed from Hsinchu Station to Xiangshan, and the scenery outside the window shifted from buildings to vegetation rich landscapes, which were very different from the urban area. The main building of Xiangshan Station is in a very traditional Japanese architectural style. The entire station is mixed with modern steel, cement, and classical wooden houses. After walking out of the station, most of the houses here are skylight or even bungalows. Although facing the main road, the traffic flow is not busy. After meeting with classmates from Tsing Hua University, we followed Ivan to visit the entire tribe. He shared the composition of the entire tribe from its early stages and the details of his growth in the tribe. He also introduced the construction of the entire tribal space and the conflicts they are facing with government agencies now.

This introduction and tribal walk greatly enhanced my understanding of the entire tribe. Through Ivan's narration and reflection, the cohesion between me and the members of the tribe is undoubtedly revealed through words, and I also have a better understanding of how the members of the tribe live here. Perhaps at first glance, what makes people nostalgic is indeed the emotions and cohesion between tribal members, but it can be felt from the struggle of tribal people for their own place of life and their recognition of the place. It is not only the people who connect the entire tribe, but also the land that carries their memories. Despite mutual exclusion, tribal and government decisions still have a certain degree of compatibility, although this may not fully meet the expectations of the tribe, it also highlights the resilience and adaptability of the tribal people.