2020鹿野故事生活節｜瑞和車站．農事體驗．老派懷舊光陰 2020 Luye Story Festival．Rueihe Station．Agricultural Experience．Old School Nostalgia

 

「屬於鄉村的活動，就該有濃濃的地方風土人情。」
“A countryside event should be filled with rich local colors and warm hospitality.” 

放眼望去，來的人幾乎都是在地叔伯阿姨，透過臺東縣政府舉辦2020鹿野故事生活節，外地年輕人難得地停留鹿野瑞和，那由青年們主導的導覽或表演，擾動原先過於安靜的鄉下日子，也帶起了許多阿公阿嬤的歡笑聲。
At a glance, the participants are mainly older local residents made up of “uncles” and “aunties” *. Outsiders, especially the younger generations, don’t usually come around Rueihe, Luye. All the performances directed or performed by the youth replaced the tranquility in the countryside with the laughter of grandmas and grandpas. 
*In Taiwan, we often call someone older that we know but is not related to us as uncles/aunties or grandmas and grandpas as a term of endearment.  

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瑞和車站：無人站，卻充滿人氣。
Rueihe Station: The Most Popular Unmanned Station 

充滿歲月感的瑞和車站，是一處無站務人員看守的小站。一整天下來，停留的只有幾班區間車，安靜小巧的身影，不僅深受鐵道迷喜愛，更是在地人用心守護的所在。
The Reihe Station is a train station without station personnel. The space is filled with history and memories. There are only a few shuttle trains that make the pit stops here each day. The train fanatics adore the silhouette of these trains parked at this quaint historic train station. 

 

  
現今，由台鐵榮譽站長韓筆鋒先生向台鐵承租，他將原先的候車大廳以老照片、文史資料佈置成花東鐵路的展示廳，雖已廢站多年，卻因此默默成為旅人與地方交流的故事據點。
These days, Rueihe Station has been rented by the Taiwan Railways Administration honorary station manager Han Bifeng. Han decked out the waiting area with old photos and historical artifacts turning this space into a Huatung Railway museum. Though the station has not been operated by Taiwan Railways in ages, this quiet little space became the destination where visitors come to find their own travel stories. 
  

 

步上天橋，沿著筆直軌道遠眺，被周圍滿滿的綠意環繞著，望向山那邊的雲霧，簡直可愛極了。
車站裡，一落落展覽內容，將那些存在老人家腦海裡的故事，重新說了一遍，瀏覽過屬於大原（瑞源）與大埔尾（瑞和）的過往風華，好像離這寧靜的小村子又更近了些。
As you walk up the footbridge, you find yourself surrounded by lush greenery with the misty clouds lingering above the mountains. The stories surrounding this old train station that used to only live in the memories of the elders are now being proudly displayed inside the station. The distant glorious memories of Ruihe seemed a little bit closer to the small village once again as the stories are being told to all the visitors far and near.  

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單車導覽，繞過香甜的田間小路，走晃瑞和一圈。
Reihe Biking Tour Loop Through the Rice Paddies Paths 

 

回鄉青年小韓哥，領著大家騎乘單車，從瑞和車站出發；他將兒時的成長記憶化為句句生動的導覽，一群人在小村子裡漫遊，從老屋、碾米廠、伐木場、柑仔店中經過；知道了那家人可是曾經留學日本的高知識份子、小小的村子裡曾經有多達5間碾米廠、3間伐木場，以及過去為何被稱作大埔尾的原因。
Han leads the bicycle tour of the event, and the tour departs from Reihe Station. He takes everyone down the memory lane of his childhood here in Reihe. The group follows him through all the old houses and buildings as his lively stories recount the past. The group learns about which families studied in Japan back in the old days or the fact that this little tiny village had over five rice mills and three wood mills at one time. Han also explains to the group why this town was once called Dabuwei. 

 

在這裡，生活中的柴米油鹽，可能都是村民們相傳交流的盛談，傳遞的絕對不是社區八卦，而是一種彼此熟識的人情溫度，或許小事，卻很溫暖。
Here even the smallest little details of the villagers’ daily lives can become the talk of the town. The villagers talk about not neighborhood gossip, but rather it’s about the familiar neighborly human relationships. All these little things carry so much warmth about the people living here. 

 

  
此時，活動設計沉浸式劇場演員現身，以早期在地農民的生活樣貌進行演出，將日治時期的情境串入導覽路線裡，讓活動更有想像力！
It’s now that the actors from the event appeared out of nowhere and started to act as the farmers did during the Japanese occupation periods. This type of performance-based part of the event lets participants’ imaginations come alive! 
 
沿途，認路不是透過街上兩旁的商家店名，而是一路的水稻、甘蔗、鳳梨、釋迦、玉米、酪梨田，專屬農村才有的識別。
This event is no longer just about learning all the shops’ names on both sides of the street through in-depth tour experiences. Everyone gets to learn all about the unique agricultural knowledge and different crops grown along the tour path whether it’s rice, sugarcane, pineapples, sugar apples, corn, or avocados. 

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農事體驗：土種仔、紅甘蔗。
Agricultural Experience：Native Corn & Sugarcane

騎過了釋迦園小路，在地農人黃大哥，首先帶著我們採傳統的土玉米（土種仔）。
Local farmer Mr. Huang takes us native corn picking as we ride through the path down the sugar apple orchard. 

 

 
高聳的玉米田裡，是一年四季都能生長的土種仔。玉米粒較大顆，滋味既香又帶有粉粉的口感；因容易受蟲害影響，導致授粉不良，所以收成數相較糯玉米、水果玉米、甜玉米都還要低，反而相對珍貴呢！
The towering corn field bears the native Taiwanese corn that grows all year-round. This native species has larger kernels and carries a fragrant aroma with a slightly gritty texture. This particular species is vulnerable to pests, which leads to poor pollination, so it yields to a smaller harvest than other varieties of corn such as waxy corn, fruit corn or sweet corn which makes it even more precious! 

 

大哥提醒著記得有鮮綠色外皮才採，避開那些蟲蛀的，輕輕往下一掰，飽滿的玉米穗摘下，很是爽快。
Huang reminds us only to pick the ear of corn with bright green husks and to avoid the ones that have been bitten by bugs. It’s a satisfying sensation as you push down the plump and plentiful ears of corn with ease. 
 

 

採完玉米，接著抵達一片細長的紅甘蔗田。
這才想起，每每行經台9線上，常會看到路邊有人招呼著買甘蔗、玉米，原來就是在瑞和至關山一帶出產的！有時心血來潮，會停下腳步，欣賞老闆娘俐落地片下一圈甘蔗皮，裝滿一袋嫩黃的紅甘蔗，讓路上添畫一筆大口嚼啃甘蔗的甜美趣味。
After picking the corn, we arrive at the long narrow sugarcane fields. I’ve just realized that the sugarcane and corn stalls we often see along both sides of the Provincial Highway #9 are all grown here in this region between Reihe and Guashan. We often make impromptu pitstops here to buy a bag full of bright yellow colored sugarcane and watch the stall vendor peel the sugarcane with ease. The stop for this deliciously sweet snack always made the road trip so much more interesting. 

 

而這次則能跟著導覽，直接走進甘蔗田裡，知道原來種甘蔗得一支支以鐵管、繩子固定好，才能長得挺直；也知道收成時，需要連根拔起，先砍掉尾巴後，再慢慢修根。
We are able to join the guide and physically visit the sugarcane fields on this tour. It’s only while on this tour we find out sugarcane has to be strapped by metal rods to grow straight and that it needs to be pulled from the root when harvesting. Also, the roots will need to be cut off and trimmed after. 

 

黃大哥從甘蔗的生長週期、採種種植的過程、一路到採收，完整地介紹了甘蔗作物的耕種知識；他特別提到，甘蔗需要與玉米輪耕才能保留地力，這才恍然大悟，難怪路邊小販總是玉米與甘蔗輪番上陣；而被東北季風刮過的甘蔗更甜，所以冬天才是最適合吃甘蔗的季節！
Huang gave a detailed account of the sugarcane growth cycle, explaining the process from planting to harvesting. He stressed that the cultivation of sugarcane needs to be alternated with corn cultivation to retain the fertility in the soil. That’s when I realized why the street stall vendors are always alternating to sell either corn or sugarcane! Huang also told us that the northeast monsoon wind makes the sugarcane sweeter, so winter is actually the best season to enjoy it. 
 
如今，甘蔗價格低、做工又多，已經鮮少人種植甘蔗了，因此能親手體驗削甘蔗的機會難得，當然要好好把握啊！趕緊記下削甘蔗的重點：
These days sugarcane often doesn’t bare the best price, yet it requires a lot of labor to grow and harvest. Therefore not as many farmers like to grown sugarcane anymore. So it’s truly a uniquely special opportunity to be able to experience firsthand how to peel sugarcane on the farm. Here are some helpful tips when peeling the sugarcane: 

 

  

・一手大拇指頂住刀背並握緊刀把。

・握刀的手往前輕輕滑去、另一隻拿甘蔗的手一邊往後拉，一次次削至甘蔗肉呈現白色即可。

・記住適可而止（笑）。

・Use one thumb to hold the back of the peeler and hold it with a tight grip.

・The hand that’s holding the peeler pushes forward while you will pull back the other hand that’s holding the sugarcane. Continue with this peeling motion until the sugarcane starts to reveal the inner white color. 

・Remember to not over peel!

 
此時，劇場裡阿公要拿著剛剛採好的甘蔗、玉米賣給商人，好買些水果祭祀土地公，株式會社卻開始削價收購，真是可惡極了！難怪俗語說：「社會上，第一笨的人，種甘蔗給會社秤。」
The grandpa that plays the farmer during the Japanese occupational period starts his reenactment for the tour group. As he tries to sell the freshly harvested sugarcane and corn so he could buy some other fruits to give as offering for the local earth god, the sugarcane corporation tried to buy all his crops offering a below market price. The tour audience couldn’t help but feel the farmer’s frustration and anger. No wonder there is an old saying of “The dumbest person in this world is someone who sells his sugarcane crops to a corporation!” 

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只要有情，平凡無奇的角落也變得迷人。
If There is Passion, a Simple Corner Can Become Irresistible. 
 

 

土地公廟旁，一棵難得一見的百年莿桐在此落地生根，騎累了的大家坐在樹下閒聊。那些從樹下長出的地方故事，與鄰近稻田相依相存，對瑞和人來說，可是相當重要的精神象徵。
A rare hundred-year-old coral tree sets its roots next to a local earth god shrine. After the long bike ride, everyone takes a break from the tour under the coral tree’s shade. The stories that grew from under this coral tree alongside the rice paddies become a spiritual symbol for the local Reihe residents. 

 

從鹿野自行車道，經過阿美族人捕魚狩獵的瑞源堤防，河床邊的族屋是今年八月為了豐年祭搭建而成；而前方的寶華堤防觀景涼亭，據說是夜晚觀星的絕佳秘密基地！眼前，農機具與狗的同行、綠樹與農田的連綿，還有那幾株留在田埂邊的果樹。這些，外人眼裡看似平凡無奇的小角落，對在地人而言，都藏著日常生活的樂趣，只要用心，便能感受。

The bike tour path takes us on the Luye Bike Bath and comes across the Reiyuan embankment   where the Amis tribal men would fish. The tribal house along the riverbed was constructed for this August’s harvest festival. The Baohua Embankment Scenic Pavilion has been known as the perfect stargazing spot that’s been kept as a local secret! Our gaze along the horizon now encompasses the greenery of the trees and fields alongside the farm equipment guarded by dogs. This landscape might seem ordinary to an outsider, but they mean so much more about the simple joys in their everyday lives to the local residents. If you just try to slow down a bit, you can start to experience it yourself as well. 
  

 

回到車站，活動邀請來了阿公阿嬤最愛的客家天后：澎澎阿姨！1960年代的知名脫口秀主持人，不僅演唱了許多經典的老歌，讓人回味，也將在地鄉親們逗弄的開心極了。
The bike tour has come in full circle and back to the train station, where the organizer of the Luye Story Festival has invited all the grandmas and grandpas’ favorite Hakka singer – Auntie Peng Peng! Peng Peng was a famous singer and talk show host from the ’60s. Her performance of many of the classic oldies brought so much joy and happiness for all the local residents. 
   

 

最後，開窯起灶儀式，除了大家動手烤pizza外，還品嘗了客家湯圓；一旁瑞和車站的草地上，則用當地食材舉辦烤肉派對，搭配香甜的甘蔗汁，一場2020鹿野故事生活節，讓屬於瑞和的懷舊甜味，飽滿一日的美好時光。
Lastly, the festival concludes with the opening ceremony of a traditional Hakka kitchen stove. Everyone got to try some DIY pizza making and some traditional Hakka rice balls as well. There is even a BBQ party on the grassy area next to the Reihe train station serving fresh local produce and ingredients as well as freshly squeezed sweet sugarcane juice. The 2020 Luye Story Festival is an event that takes you back to all the sweet memories from Reihe’s past. It’s the perfect way to spend a whole day feasting and learning about this unique place.
 

文章撰寫：臺東製造