Luluwan Eats Grass: Take your taste buds on a journey through green delicacies
The August 8 typhoon in 2009 caused severe damage to the Gaoping area, and several indigenous villages were forced to accept relocation. Years later, I visited several permanent housing sites, and Linali tribe was the most unforgettable. Not only were the buildings beautiful and the streets clean, but a special little eatery had also "sprouted" there.
United Daily News reported in "Returning to the tribe to open an eatery: the chief's son cooks leisure": "Balu Luluwan is the son of the chief of Haocha Village in Wutai Township. He lived in Taipei since childhood because of his mother's work, was a Taipei resident for 35 years, and returned in 2010 to the rebuilt tribe to carry out tribal development work, running a small eatery named after his family name, 'Luluwan,' bringing a new dining atmosphere to Linali tribe."
When I saw the food information, of course I could not let it pass. I checked the address, set a time, gathered friends, and headed over. Taking County Road 187, passing Beiy e tribe, going up Beima Road, and entering the Linali entrance. Going straight along Guchaboan Street, I saw the large footprints on the ground at the alley entrance, turned in, and reached the end of the alley, which was Luluwan. The owner BALU welcomed us warmly, handsome in appearance, with thick brows and big eyes, a refined temperament, and a magnetic voice. After deciding on the meal, the owner returned to the kitchen to cook, while we wandered around freely, satisfying our curiosity.
"The host families of Haocha tribe started from one or two households, and now there are nearly forty households, with about one hundred and fifty beds in total, and my home has some upstairs too. (Pointing) Before check-in there is a welcome ceremony, asking the host mothers of the host families to introduce themselves in their mother tongue, leading the travelers to dance the traditional four-step dance of the Rukai people and sing 'We Are Family.' The specialty of Haocha host families lies in joint management, giving back, and sharing, and with the core of experiencing traditional tribal culture, travelers and the hosts of the host families can also have warm companionship, just like family. As for the cost, it is like this: of 799 yuan per person, 600 yuan goes to the host of the host family, 50 yuan is for the next day's breakfast, and the rest goes back to the tribe as a common fund (kept by the village chief), used for emergency assistance or environmental cleanup and so on."
"This price is very affordable! I really want to find time to stay here. Oh no, we talked until we lost track of time. It is almost ten o'clock, I have to go home. I am very happy to hear you share so much. Next time I will definitely come again to try new dishes!" (Waving)
Putting on a raincoat and a helmet, the whole way back was filled with fine rain, and the MP3 player played David Tao's song "Find Myself." "Hua la la la la la, it is raining. Hua la la la la la, the clouds are crying. Hua la la la la la, dripping into my heart. oh yeah, no need to tell me I only overthink, no need to tell me I only fantasize, hua la la la la la, let me go get rained on. I only hope I can again, can once again, return to that beautiful time, and find myself."
In the song, David Tao passionately sings of wanting to return to the innocent days of the past, but perhaps for BALU, that beautiful time in which one can find oneself lies in the future, not the past.
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*Luluwan
No. 13, Lane 17, Guchaboan Street, Haocha Village, Wutai Township, Pingtung County / BALU (Jiang Zhiqing) 0972-060-887 / Monday to Friday 18:00-21:00, Saturday to Sunday: 8:00-21:00
Here, like brewed millet wine, it becomes more and more fragrant
Co-farming and sharing, my home
Relying on its own strength, Haocha starts its industry from host families
Haocha Tribe News