In a dedicated section of Hualien City’s Dongdamen Night Market, vendors specializing in the indigenous foods of Taiwan offer a unique culinary experience by preparing dishes made from foraged plants. For the Amis people, Taiwan’s largest indigenous group residing in the East Rift Valley, on the Hengchun Peninsula, and along the East Coast, foraging is not just a culinary practice but a way of life deeply rooted in tradition.
Foraged foods, as explained by locals, encompass any edible plants growing wild, including those considered weeds in farmers’ fields. Wu, a practitioner of this ancient art, shares the wisdom passed down by her elders: “If your tongue doesn’t tingle when you lick the leaves, that’s a sign it’s a wild herb you can forage.”
In 1995, Wu, a former teacher at National Hualien University of Education, embarked on a comprehensive study of wild herbs, resulting in her seminal work, “Edible Wild Greens of Taiwan’s Pangcah People,” now in its 20th printing as of 2023, available in Chinese, Amis, and English editions.
The Amis, known for their matriarchal society, have a rich history of foraging, with memories of mothers and grandmothers gathering wild herbs during fieldwork. While modern life may limit personal foraging, the tradition endures as Amis community members frequent morning and evening markets to purchase foraged vegetables for their culinary needs.
Hotpots, a popular trend in Taiwan, find a special place in Amis cuisine. Wu notes, “We began eating hotpots when we were little,” citing the famous Amis “ten vegetable soup,” which incorporates ten different wild herbs, showcasing the integral role of foraged vegetables in their daily lives.
In the quest to preserve indigenous rights, Wu, who served on the Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee, advocated for the revision of regulations governing the foraging rights of indigenous people. In 2019, these revisions were passed, allowing indigenous communities to gather herbs, grasses, and fruits in their traditional living areas and on public lands such as national forests.
Highlighting the sustainability of their foraging practices, Wu emphasizes the Amis’ commitment to preserving the environment. They gather with care, ensuring not to uproot plants or deplete an area to the extent that plants cannot regenerate. In a significant step towards promoting this sustainable tradition, Hualien County magistrate Hsu Chen-wei proposed the establishment of the Hualien Indigenous Wild Vegetable Center in 2020. The center serves as a hub for hands-on courses and exhibitions, shedding light on the unique cultural and ecological significance of Amis foraging practices.
