Taiwan’s Bunun people lose heritage to typhoons and relocation
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In southern Taiwan, the Bunun Indigenous people of Tengjhih village were permanently resettled after Typhoon Morakot in 2009 destroyed the road connecting them to the outside world.
The typhoon killed 755 people across Taiwan and disproportionately impacted Indigenous territories, with around 70% of land deemed unsafe falling within those areas. Subsequent attempts to rebuild the road in 2012, 2021, and 2023 failed due to increased rainfall and landslides linked to climate change, and another typhoon in 2025 caused further damage.
The relocation severed the community’s connection to their ancestral lands, endangering the passing down of cultural practices and language. Residents received apartments in lowland areas but did not own the land underneath them, limiting their ability to rebuild or expand. Tunkan Tansikian, a scholar at National Dong Hwa University, explained that the resettlement program violated Taiwan’s 2005 Indigenous Peoples Basic Law by failing to consult with the community beforehand.
Despite local officials previously dismissing permanent resettlement due to landslide risks, a new access road is planned to open in January 2027. Dahu Ismahasan, president of the Bunun tribal council, led years of campaigning to secure the road, offering hope for the future of the community and the possibility of improving their lives.
