The High Art of Truku Cuisine:

At Dajili, which has received Tian Mama certification from the Ministry of Agriculture, beside every dining table one finds a stone that is used to break open sealed bamboo tubes of rice. Guests must break open their own tubes with these stones before they start to eat.

Some hit their tube against the stone more than a dozen times and still can’t crack it, growing hungrier at every ringing strike. Others, particularly foreign visitors who may not have quite understood the instructions, forcibly smash at it with more gusto than finesse, creating much amusement.

Hidi Jiyan personally picks the pandan leaves she uses to brew tea for Dajili’s guests.

A mother’s wisdom

The one-hectare grounds of the Tribal House abound with lush greenery, including many kinds of aromatic herbs. The garden’s fragrant pandan leaves, prickly ash leaves, mountain pepper (Litsea cubeba), and native Taiwanese cinnamon are essential ingredients in all manner of the restaurant’s concoctions, whether pandan tea, scrambled eggs with prickly ash, sausage with mountain pepper, or—with advance notice only—braised pork knuckle with aromatic Taiwanese cinnamon.

“Back in 2000, we opened Dajili with just two tables,” recalls its owner, Hidi Jiyan. “And ever since I’ve remembered something the instructor said during the Tian Mama training: ‘As Indigenous people, you can’t compete with Han restaurateurs by doing what they do. You have to use your own grandmothers’ ingredients to create innovative Indigenous cuisine. That’s what will bring you a competitive edge.’”

The bamboo tubes of rice are cooked over a wood fire. “Does that make the rice taste better?” The inquiring guest may be overthinking it. Kiosi Umat, who is in charge of cooking the rice and tending the fire, laughs and says, “It just saves on gas!”

Cracking open a tube of bamboo rice is the opening ritual of a meal at Dajili.

The greatest reward

A decade ago, during the Chinese tourism boom in Taiwan, the restaurant employed a staff of more than 20. Tables might turn over three times at lunch. To manage that massive demand and to give back to the community, Dajili joined the Ministry of Labor’s Multi-Employment Promotion Program. 

Under the program, Dajili trains single mothers and disadvantaged seniors to master necessary skills before retaining them as regular employees. One such worker, a survivor of long-term domestic abuse, was able to support her child through university thanks to her stable job. Similarly, many students from low-­income families have relied on temporary work here during their winter and summer breaks.

“Every single one of them has stayed on the right path,” Hidi shares, her words ending with the gentle rising inflection typical of the Truku people. “My biggest achievement in managing this Tian Mama restaurant has been creating local opportunities and helping the next generation find a way back home to work.

Truku Energy Food: Fried Banana Rice

Hidi Jiyan’s team presents platters of foraged vegetables and roast chicken, inviting guests to savor a farm-to-table Truku feast.

An aesthetic emphasis

What also sets Dajili apart within the Tian Mama network is its distinctive incorporation of art. In its art corridor, oil paintings and woodcarvings by Hidi Jiyan’s husband, Kiosi Umat, are displayed in an appealing staggered arrangement.

Kiosi, who retired from his career as an elementary school teacher 28 years ago, never underwent formal academic training in the fine arts. His unconventional works demonstrate a raw, primal vibrancy.

Dajili’s Tian Mama sign was crafted from an old dining table from Hidi’s family home. It carries both a family’s legacy and a community’s memories.

The oil paintings and sculptures seen throughout Dajili Tribal House have become one of its most distinctive features.

Plant-Dyed Travel Keepsakes

Arrowroot, shoebutton ardisia, camphor leaves, African tulip tree leaves, and various kinds of ferns gathered from Dajili’s grounds are placed on fabric and gently pounded with a mallet. As the juices seep out, the veins and textures of the leaves are transferred onto cloth. This activity is especially fascinating for visitors from colder climates, as many of these plants are species they have never seen before. The pieces of cloth become keepsakes of Taiwan’s warm sunshine and lush greenery that visitors can pack in their bags and take home.

A restaurant transforms

“From a consumer’s perspective, Tian Mama certification carries real brand value,” says Kuring Kiosi, Hidi and Kiosi’s daughter, who is now serving as Dajili’s manager. She explains that the brand attracts guests who want a truly authentic experience. Five or six years ago, visitors began showing a deeper interest in Truku culture beyond its food. Their growing curiosity prompted Dajili to introduce hands-on cultural experiences, such as pounding mochi with a traditional mortar and pestle, weaving, and archery, as well as to expand their guided tours to include ecological and cultural themes. 

Having just recovered from the collapse of the Chinese tourism boom, and in the midst of changing their approach from serving standard “featured meals” to highlighting dishes infused with distinctive Indigenous ingredients, the 2024 Hualien earthquake struck. It dealt another heavy blow. “That was when we took the opportunity to launch leaf printing,” Kuring Kiosi explains.

Dining at Dajili provides more than just a taste of local flavors. Every piece of plant-dyed fabric and every wood carving tells a story—one that bears witness to the enduring strength and gentle spirit of Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples.

Kiosi Umat’s studio offers views of the Qingshui Cliffs spilling into the sea.