Disaster, relocation, and resilience: recovery and adaptation of Karamemedesane in Lily Tribal Community after Typhoon Morakot, Taiwan. (14th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Taiban, Sasala; Lin, Hui-Nien; Ko, Chun-Chieh
• Is Part Of: Environmental hazards. Volume 19:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 209
• Page End: 222
• Publication Date: 2020-03-14
• Subjects: Village migration -- Typhoon Morakot -- community resilience -- post-disaster recovery -- transformability -- food sovereignty; Environmental disasters -- Periodicals; Environmental disasters -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Natural disasters -- Periodicals; Natural disasters -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; 363.7005
• DOI: 10.1080/17477891.2019.1708234
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-7891

Abstract

ABSTRACT: After Typhoon Morakot struck Taiwan in the summer of 2009, government officials relocated the indigenous village communities of Kucapungane, Adiri, Karamemedesane, Kinulane, Dawadawan and Tikuvulu into sub-montane, permanent housing. Because villagers were accustomed to living in mountainous areas, they encountered many challenges while adapting their lifestyle and culture into a new setting. During the relocation process, government and post-disaster relief agencies disregarded, oversimplified, and concealed social vulnerability. Can indigenous communities recover from typhoon damage and continue to pass down their culture? Using in-depth interviews and participant observation, this research examined how Karamemedesane villagers organised and reconstructed themselves using their land for farming practices, culture, rituals, and livelihoods following the government-forced, community migration. The source of resilience for Karamemedesane turned out to be the cultivation of red quinoa, a traditional food crop. Villagers rediscovered the cultural value of food through small changes in farming practices and knowledge, social network and social learning, leadership, and innovation-aided recovery that resulted in establishing the Academy of Special Rukai Crops. Results suggested that post-disaster policies for indigenous communities should be land-based and culturally relevant to promote transformability.