Telling the story of their village
Taroko National Park Aborigine Interpreter Training Begins
Issuing unit: Taroko National Park Headquarters
Isuuing Date: March 20,2008
Contact person: Huang Chih-chiang, Section Chief
Contact number: 03-862-1100 extension 800
Taroko National Park Headquarters’ “2008 Aborigine interpreter training,” activity began on March 17. 40 trainees from Taroko aborigine communities will receive 46 hours of interpreter training and, after graduation, will carry out important environmental interpretation work in eco-tourism activities developed in their communities.
The training course opening ceremony was hosted by Deputy Superintendent of Taroko National Park Headquarters, Yu Teng-lang. He said that eco-tourism is an environmentally-friendly form of tourism and that the development of eco-tourism is an international trend. Interpreters play an extremely important role in eco-tourism. Interpreters will help give visitors a good experience, also be a big help in terms of preserving community natural and cultural resources and, most importantly, bring revenue into the community. Taroko National Park HQ hopes that, by training aborigine interpreters, community eco-tourism will be developed and the Interpreters will be “seeds” in the community.
This year's training course has 40 trainees from four aborigine villages-- Pratan (Sanjhan,) Mukumugi (Tongmen), Dali-Datong and Shanli in Jhuosi rural township. Trainees from distant Shanli community in Jhuosi rural township have to set off very early in the morning to arrive in time for the start of class, showing admirable enthusiasm.
Training includes indoor and outdoor classes, including basic interpreting concepts, an introduction to the ecology of the creeks of each village, how to tell their own and their land’s stories and emergency rescue techniques. Classes were taught by Professor Zeng Jing-sian, of National Tsinghua University, who has years of experience researching creek ecology in east Taiwan, Mr. Lin Jheng-han, a graduate of Canada’s Yamnaska Climbing School’s course and holder of the US WMA（Wilderness Medical Associates）wilderness medicine trainer qualification, Ms Li Bao-lian, author of “Diary of a female farmer in the mountains” 女農討山誌who has cared about the environment for many years, senior citizens from local communities and Taroko National Park interpreters. Interpreters need to have an in-depth understanding of the land in which they love, therefore senior citizens from various communities will be invited to take trainees into the mountains and give them a thorough understanding of the stories of the land.
Training makes strict demands of trainees, requiring that over 80% of classes are attended and all technical tests are passed, and that practical experience of three duty days in Taroko Visitor Center and interpreting for more than one tour group is completed before a graduation certificate is awarded. Trainees who successfully graduate will also be given priority when the Taroko National Park recruits volunteers. It is estimated that training will end in early May. Taroko National Park Headquarters hopes that, through a course stressing ideas and practice equally, trainees will be able to quickly become involved in interpreting work when they return to their communities.