Walking in the mountains when it rains is especially difficult. Principal Zhi-ming Chen walked at the end of the team and stayed vigilant about the unfavorable surroundings.
"Watch out!”
Someone in the front slipped and was sliding. A pair of hands grabbed him while Principal Chen rushes to help.
"It's okay. I am right behind you.”
The two muddy faces smiled at each other and shook the dirt off their clothes before continuing toward the ancestral scared mountain of the Atayal tribe. Only 12, they were climbing up Dabajian Mountain for their graduation.
Graduation Commences Hope
3,492 meters in altitude, Dabajian Mountain is located between Hsinchu County and Miaoli County. Reputed as a “world's wonder,” it is the most sacred and inviolable to the Atayal tribe.
The Boulder1 since the ancient times has been worshiped by the Atayal people. It symbolizes their respect and awe of the sacred mountain. However, the primitive life and young generation's knowledge of the sacred mountain vanished in modernization.
“It is a pity.”When Principal Chen took post in 2007 in Hsin Kwang Elementary School, he felt that it was a shame that students could only learn about the sacred mountain right in front of them through textbooks, movies, or narration. Hence, he proposed this graduation ceremony to students' parents. |
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“That's a great idea.” Parents and tribal elders agreed on the proposal unanimously and here began the graduation ceremony.
All Ready but Weather
There were five graduates and five juniors along with 30 warriors and trial elders on the team. It was not easy to plan an itinerary of this scale which requires not only the basic fund, manpower, and route arrangement but also many others.
Several months before this event, the principal and teachers started to train these students to make sure that they could manage the strenuous challenge of climbing the mountain. As for the fund, they were greatly indebted to the county magistrate's wife who supported the idea and sponsored NT$120,000 for climbing gears and then-Director Ching Lin of Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters, who subsidized NT$30,000, and other kind-hearted people for their donation. The whole school was truly touched and grateful.
“Everything was ready except for the weather. We planned to set off at the end of May but it rained the whole week so we moved it to the following week but it was sunny on the original start day and rained on our new start day.” Principal Chen grins “After all, nothing beats the weather change.”
In light of the tight schedule and no further delay allowed, they discussed with tribal elders, parents and students and decided to make it happen.
The changing weather couldn't stop them from climbing the sacred mountain even though it made the burden on Principal Chen's shoulder heavier. |
