Indigenous specialty products from the post Morakot reconstruction area were for the first time introduced at the Republic of China’s 101st National Day Party today.  President Ma Ying-jeou and the first lady shared Taiwan’s indigenous culture with Marshall Islands President H.E. Christopher Loeak and other heads of state from friendly nations, sampled organic coffee from Pintung’s Taiwu Township and Taitung’s millet mochi. Indigenous craft artist presented glass beads symbolizing the land’s harvest and the guard of peaceful blessing to the President and heads of state from friendly nations. Vice President Wu Den-Yih and Premier, Chen Chun (aka Sean Chen) also attended this event.

All the products exhibited at this reception display deep local characteristics and post-disaster reconstruction narratives which allow heads of state from friendly nations, foreign diplomats, and distinguished guests to witness the reconstruction of Taiwan’s new vitality after the Typhoon Morakot.  The concrete achievements of the government’s post typhoon counseling of residents to develop reconstruction area industries were actively displayed to promote international exchange as a new highlight of this year’s reception.

Dr. Chern Jenn-Chuan, CEO of Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council of Executive Yuan, expressed his extreme gratitude for the invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the planning allowed residents from the reconstruction area to display their carefully developed and designed specialty products at the National Day Party.  This is yet another opportunity for indigenous specialty products from the reconstruction zone to garner exposure after the 16th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair in October 2011, Belgium’s Brussels Travel Expo and Belasia in February 2012. This also gave heads of state from friendly nations and visiting guests an opportunity to further understand indigenous village tourism style, cultural characteristics, and achievements of Typhoon Morakot post-disaster reconstruction unique to Taiwan.

The “Special Agricultural Products from Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Area” planned by this year’s National Day Party Office have 4 zones.  The first zone consists of organic “Ka-vulungan” coffee from Taiwu Township in Pingtung, which was found by “Dr. Coffee”-Dr. Jack Hua  Taiwu Township has favorable conditions for planting coffee. Their premium coffee beans allowed the Coffee Marketing Center in Ulaljuc community to become the first officially established and operational industrial demonstration site in the 8 major permanent housing communities.    

The second zone consists of millet cuisine from Taitung.  Millet is the primary traditional food of indigenous peoples and millet products are the indispensable daily cuisine of indigenous people in Taiwan.  The Lalaulan Millet Indigenous Shop from Taitung possesses a work team of young people from the Paiwan Tribe who quickly formed a team for hometown reconstruction in the wake of the Typhoon Morakot. They commenced the restoration and planting of millet to preserve the wisdom and culture of their ancestors.

The third zone is the glass bead DIY zone.  Ms. Shih Hsiu Chu from Dragonfly Beads Art Studio in Pingtung’s Sandiman Township guided distinguished guests in the DIY production of glass beads and help them understand the morals and blessings represented by these beads.

The fourth zone showcases indigenous hometown specialty products from the reconstruction areas including Pingtung taro pastry, Taitung Roselle nectar, Nantou green plum enzymes, Jiayi Alishan Camellia oil, Kaohsiung’s Duona black rice puffed rice and delicate glass bead ornaments, etc.  Every product encompasses significant local characteristics and post-disaster reconstruction narratives.  Information such as Reconstruction areas travel brochures, Morakot reconstruction reports, etc., also were provided and freely accessible to both foreign and domestic visiting guests.

It is worth mentioning, of the 3 performance groups in this year’s party, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs especially invited Pingtung County’s Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers.  These children's unique and beautiful voices sing the living notes of four-times relocations of Taiwu Elementary School and the post-Morakot disaster school reconstruction experience.  These soothing folksongs attracted distinguished guests to stop and listen, and become the focus of attention at the National Day Party.
 

CEO Dr.Chern of MPDRC introduceed products from reconstruction area

Post-Morakot reconstruction work highlighted at National Day party

President Ma and Marshall Islands President Loeak visited reconstruction area products corner.