2025 Austronesian Wedding

Austronesian Weddings
The Austronesian Wedding is an event organized by the Maolin National Scenic Area Administration, showcasing the indigenous cultures of the region. It incorporates the aristocratic wedding traditions of Paiwan and Rukai in the three townships of Northen Pingtung—Majia, Sandimen, and Wutai.


Rukai Wedding
A wedding holds significant importance for the Rukai people. On a personal level, it represents a profound life experience. Through the act of getting married, an individual's status within the tribe is elevated. Additionally, marriage serves as a unifying force, not only bringing two individuals together but also establishing connections between nuclear and extended families within the tribe. Moreover, it can contribute to the formation of alliances between different tribes. Weddings may even play a role in shaping social and moral norms within the community.


The Rukai tribes function within unique social hierarchies, and this becomes particularly pronounced in the context of weddings. Notably, aristocratic weddings are required to prominently showcase the status and honor of the two families involved, and at times, even the respective tribes. Consequently, attending the wedding of a Rukai tribal chief, known as "talialalay," is akin to participating in a grand networking event that brings together various families and tribes. 

Aristocratic weddings are highly intricate affairs, demanding strict adherence to established norms and rules. In summary, the procedure typically unfolds as follows:

1. Visitation (lrikapa)
2. Marriage Proposal (kidrekase)
3. Dowry Arrangement (sabadhane)。
4. Wedding Ceremony (karudrange)。

Paiwan Wedding
In addition to the evident social class system, the Paiwan people primarily adhere to a system of inheritance based on the eldest heir. Only upon completing the marriage ceremony can an individual be integrated into the familial structure and officially attain the status of an "adult" within the tribe. This signifies that after the wedding ceremony, one becomes a recognized member of the household and is eligible for the allocation of family property and living resources. It is only at this point that individuals gain autonomy in farming and harvesting.


According to the oral narratives passed down by the elders, in traditional tribal societies, an unmarried man of marriageable age would undertake village patrol duties every evening. He would continue this practice until he got married. Only after entering into matrimony could he reside with his spouse in their own home, embracing the warmth of family life.

The traditional Mamazangilan wedding ceremony of the Paiwan tribe is highly intricate and rigorous, and remarkably, this ceremony continues to be preserved and practiced by the tribe into the 21st century. It includes the following:

1. Visitation (kivala)
2. Wedding Discussion (mazepzep)
3. Marriage Proposal (tjemuljinga )
4. Sending firewood (kikasiv) 
5. Vertical Swing Set-Up Ceremony (putjiuma)
6. Dowry Arrangement (paukuz)
7. Wedding Ceremony(pucekelj)

In the 18th year of bliss, the Austronesian Wedding fosters profound love as couples join hands to weave a lifetime of happiness.

The "2025 Austronesian Wedding" is poised to take place in the vibrant MaJia Township of Pingtung County. Guided by the traditional wedding rituals inherited from the Paiwan tribe, it will bear witness to each couple's commitment to love. Beneath the protective embrace of Dawu Mountain, they will make the most significant choices of their lives, and their vows will serve as eternal testimonies of emotion and blessings.


This year, the Austronesian Wedding is entering its 18th year, and it has been full of blessings and touching moments. The "2025 Austronesian Wedding" will be held on November 22 in Wutai Township, Pingtung County. Through the traditional and solemn wedding ceremony of the Rukai Tribe, the newlyweds will promise each other a lifetime of love. 

Meanwhile, the three townships in northern Pingtung will jointly organize several activities with the Maolin National Scenic Area Headquarters. We invite everyone to share this joy and blessing and announce event information in succession. Please pay close attention to the theme page of the Maolin National Scenic Area Headquarters' "Austronesian Wedding - Love in Dawu Mountain Series of Activities."