Page 6 - 《原YOUNG—青少年雜誌期刊》111期

部落傳說
A message from a black twin baby in a dream

Thao tale of ulalaluan

Legend has it that not long after the Thao people moved to the

Sun Moon Lake area, the chief's wife became pregnant and gave
birth. This was a big event for the tribe and worthy of celebration.

However, she gave birth to twins, one black and one white, which
was considered an omen and frightened the Thao. The chief also

felt uneasy. One night, while his wife was not paying attention, he
secretly threw the black baby into the lake. The black baby cried a

bit and soon drowned.
The next night, the chief dreamed of the black baby, who

said to him: "I am dead. From now on, every Thao family must put
the clothes of their ancestors into an ulalaluan, or ancestral spirit
basket, and keep it at home. Offerings must be made whenever

there is a festival or holiday, otherwise something bad will happen."

The chief was shocked and told people about the dream.
People were scared and did what the black baby had asked. They
made ulalaluan with bamboo and rattan, put in their ancestors'

clothes and accessories, and perform rituals regularly. They
continued to make offerings and indeed lived a peaceful and well-

fed life. The belief in ulalaluan has since become part of their
faith and culture. The Thao also believe that when a person dies,

his or her soul becomes an apu, or ancestral spirit, of the family
and continues to live with the family in the ulalaluan. Therefore,

every Thao family has an ulalaluan at home, and always performs
rituals around it on important days or occasions. The rituals are

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