*3.1. Macro-Context of Taiwan and the Tsou Tribes*

Taiwan is a mountainous island located in the western Pacific. Its total area of 36,000 square kilometers holds a population of 23 million residents, of which roughly 2% are indigenous. Taiwan's location is prone to earthquakes and typhoons, and its high terrain with steep slopes is at high risk for rainfall-triggered landslides. The 2009 Typhoon Morakot hit the island and caused serious damage in the mountainous areas. After the disaster, the government established the "Special act for the post-disaster reconstruction of Typhoon Morakot"(abolished on 29 August 2014) to guide post-disaster recovery and reconstruction work, with the guidelines of providing free permanent houses for victims as soon as possible [6]. The homeland reconstruction plan's top priority was to keep "away from disaster risk but stay in the same village"; the second priority was to "move away from the village but stay in the same township"; and the last choice was "to collectively relocate to an appropriate location nearest to the original township" [6].

The Alishan Township, located in southern Taiwan, was one of the most seriously impacted areas. It is home to the indigenous Tsou tribes, with a population of around 6700 divided into eight tribes (traditional settlement units) within seven villages (modern administration boundary) (Figure 1). Traditionally, Tsou society is formed based on family identity, organized with a big tribe (*hosa*) and a small tribe (*denohiu*). Culturally, big tribes were the earliest formed residential units, which are the political, religious, and economic core of the Tsou community. The small tribes are divisions originating in agriculture activities. There are two big tribes (also called the mother tribe)—the *Tapangu* (Dabang) tribe and the *Tfuya* (Tefuye) tribe—which act as the two main, traditional cores of the other small tribes. The importance of *hosa* can be seen in Tsou culture. For example, the annual "war and unity festival" (*mayasvi*) held by the *hosa* is the reunion ceremony to gather small subordinate tribes to the mother tribe. Similarly, the most important public space—*kuba*, a space for adult male gatherings—can only be situated in a big tribe.

**Figure 1.** Location of study site: (**a**) the Alishan township and Fanlu Township, Chiayi County; (**b**) the eight Tsou tribes (located within seven villages) in Ali Mountain and the relocated Zhulu community.
