Smangus (Chinese: 司馬庫斯) is an Atayal community located in Jianshi District of Hsinchu County, Taiwan.
History edit
The migration to and establishment of Smangus is recounted in songs and oral history. [1]
Smangus had no electricity until 1979 and wasn't connected to the outside world by a motorable road until 1995. Prior to this time all goods had to be carried in by foot from Xinguang (新光) on the opposite side of the valley.[2]
Ecotourism edit
The Smangus community earns most of its money from tourism. Tourism generates NT$20 million of revenue for the community.[3]
In December 2014 the community discussed plans to limit the number of visitors to between 200 and 250 people per day. The reason for this was to better protect the ecology of the area and reduce the demands on the residents from catering for so many tourists.[4]
References edit
- ^ Reid, David (April 2010). Indigenous Rights in Taiwan and the Smangus Case (M.A.). National Chengchi University.
- ^ Reid, David (2012). "Nation vs. Tradition: Indigenous Rights and Smangus". In David Blundell (ed.). Taiwan Since Martial Law. Taipei: National Taiwan University Press. pp. 453–483. ISBN 978-986-88055-0-7.
- ^ "Smangus way brings prosperity to remote Atayal village". Taiwan Today. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ Kan, Chih-chi; Chung, Jake (15 December 2014). "Smangus seeks to balance conservation, development". Taipei Times. Retrieved 4 January 2016.