An Incredible Cultural Trip in Yuli 2025 — See You in 2026!

This year our team organized various cultural activities for our friends from different places, including the Taiwanese and the foreign friends.

At the end of 2025, when we organized the photos of the activities this year, we still felt the passion and heard the laughter from our participants. It’s really such an amazing year for our members because we really brought lots of people to Yuli, a beautiful eastern township in Taiwan, to know more about the local culture and stories of this place.

Hands-on Craft Workshop

Herbal mallet-making session

In this series of hands-on craft workshops, participants were able to gain a deeper understanding of Yuli’s local culture and everyday wisdom through the experience of making things by hand. Three special activities were arranged: an indigo dyeing workshop, an Alifengfeng weaving experience, and a herbal mallet-making session.

During the indigo dyeing workshop, participants learned traditional dyeing techniques by tying and dyeing white cloth to create their own unique indigo patterns. In the Alifengfeng weaving experience, participants were introduced to Indigenous weaving culture and, under the guidance of local instructors, learned how to weave an Amis lover’s pouch using the sheath of the shell ginger plant. The herbal mallet workshop combined local botanical knowledge, where various aromatic herbs were gathered and bound together to create natural herbal mallets that release a soothing fragrance.

Through these activities, participants not only completed their own handmade crafts but also developed a closer connection with the lifestyle, culture, and traditional craftsmanship of Yuli.

Alifengfeng weaving experience

Indigo dyeing workshop

Agri-food Workshops

Our agri-food workshops invited participants to explore Yuli’s rich food culture from a “farm-to-table” perspective, discovering how local ingredients and traditions come together in everyday life. We organized three engaging activities: a Dragon Boat Festival rice dumpling (zongzi) experience, a rice fermentation workshop, and a hands-on dumpling-making session using fresh local ingredients.

In the zongzi workshop, participants followed local instructors step by step, learning how to wrap dumplings while also discovering the cultural meaning behind this traditional festival food. During the rice fermentation activity, everyone experienced the process of making fermented rice — from steaming glutinous rice to adding starter culture — and learned to appreciate the patience and care behind this time-honored technique. In the dumpling-making session, participants worked together using fresh vegetables and ingredients from Yuli to create delicious dumplings filled with local flavors.

Through cooking, sharing, and tasting together, participants not only learned how to prepare traditional foods, but also connected more deeply with the land, the flavors, and the warm spirit of Yuli.

The Hunting Trail Walking Tour

The Hunting Trail Walking Tour takes participants deep into the forest, offering a chance to rediscover the natural environment and traditional knowledge from a hunter’s perspective. Guided by a local hunter, participants follow paths once used for hunting, listening to stories about hunting culture and life in the mountains while learning to identify various plants and animals along the way.

During the journey, the hunter also shares how to observe signs left by wildlife — such as footprints, droppings, and gnawed plants — and introduces traditional hunting tools and trapping methods. This experience is not just a forest walk, but a vivid lesson in both culture and nature.

Through this close interaction with the land, participants gradually come to understand the long-standing relationship between Indigenous peoples and the forest — one built on mutual respect and coexistence.

Participants learned the knowledge of local plants.

The traditional ritual of Amis before entering the mountain.

The Traditional “Tafukor” Cast Net Fishing

Along the banks of the Xiuguluan River, participants were introduced to the Amis people’s traditional cast net fishing technique known as Tafukor. The experience began with a local hunter explaining the structure of the net and how it is used, while also sharing stories about how the Amis have long lived in harmony with rivers and the sea.

Participants then stepped to the riverside to try it themselves. With guidance and demonstration, they learned how to cast the net — feeling the rhythm of the movement as the net opens in the air and gently falls onto the water. What may seem like a simple action actually requires coordination, timing, and skills passed down through generations.

Through this hands-on experience, participants not only enjoyed the fun of traditional fishing, but also gained a deeper appreciation of how the Amis people respect nature, use resources thoughtfully, and maintain a balanced relationship with their river environment in everyday life.

Participants learned the basic information before we went to the Xiuguluan River.

The hunters helped the participant to fix the net.

Participants caught successfully the fish.

Participants’ feedback

“The indigo dyeing and weaving workshops were incredibly relaxing. Starting from scratch and creating my own piece felt so rewarding, and I gained a deeper appreciation for the local culture.”

“Walking the hunting trail with a local hunter was eye-opening. Learning to read animal traces and hearing the stories made me truly feel the wisdom of living in harmony with nature.”

“Making zongzi and fermented rice was so much fun! Cooking while listening to stories — and then tasting what we made — made the whole experience warm, meaningful, and memorable.”

Let’s watch our recap video of 2025

[embed]點點帶你玩玉里 Explore Yuli with Diandian｜教育部青發署｜壯遊引力計畫－年度回顧影片

The beauty of Yuli can only truly be felt in person, so we’re excited to keep the good vibes going this year with even more unique, Yuli-inspired cultural experiences!

Come visit Yuli and join us in discovering the beauty, stories, and warmth of this amazing place in 2026!

If you’re interested in this kind of cultural experience of Taiwan, feel free to contact us:

📧 Email: staryouthtw@gmail.com

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