“Palakau” Fishing Experience

「靠山吃山，靠海吃海」是台灣原住民的傳統生活方式，「巴拉告（Palakau）」就是生活於花蓮馬太鞍地區的阿美族人，為了適應當地的沼澤環境，而發展出來的一種生態補魚方法。

To be adapted to the Mother Nature is the traditional life style of Taiwan’s aborigines. In order to survive the swamp environment, Amis tribe in Ma Tai An area in Wua-Lien developed the eco- friendly fishing method, calls “Palakau”

有別於其它地方的「主動出擊」，這裡的阿美族人則是採用「請君入甕」的方式，來補捉新鮮且源源不絕的魚蝦。只要帶著一個三角漁網，就可以輕輕鬆鬆把自投羅網的魚兒，變成餐桌上的美味佳餚，聽來很不可思議，但這可是千真萬確的哦！

Amis tribe is using “Trap” instead of “Catch” fishing method to trap all the fish and shrimp. By using a triangle fish net, all fish can be easily trapped. It sounds unbelievable, but that is exactly how it works.

馬太鞍位於花蓮光復鄉馬錫山下，是一處面積達十二公頃的沼澤地，花蓮縣境內面積最大的濕地，這裡的自然資源豐富且多樣，擁有種類繁多的各式水草植物、蛙類及鳥類等，是絕佳的生態教室。

Ma Tai An is located at the Ma-Shi mountain, Kwang-Fu township in Wua-Lien. It is a 12 hectare swamp area and also the largest wetland in Wua-Lian. It is a rich natural habitat area with a huge variety of water plants and all types of frogs and birds.

馬太鞍是古老的阿美族部落居住地，因特殊的沼澤地形與部落生活習性，而發展出「巴拉告」這種獨特的生活文化。巴拉告生態捕魚法，是營造一個魚蝦可以棲息的環境，讓他們在裡頭繁衍生長，每次捕捉時只抓取夠吃的份量，這樣就有源源不絕的魚蝦可以食用。

Ma Tai An is where the Amis tribe is located. Due to the swamp environment, “ Palakau” was developed to fit their unique life style. “Palakau” is to build a pond that fish or shrimp can live and reproduce. Only a small amount of fish and shrimp can be caught at a time so that enough population is maintained in the pond.

當地族人在馬太鞍芙登溪的沿岸，築起了一個個的小水池，每一個小水池皆留有開口，讓溪水可以不斷循環，魚兒也可以自由進出。池底則是架起供魚蝦棲息的場所，要捕撈時，再將開口暫時堵住，就可以簡簡單單進行捕撈了。

Local Amis have built small ponds by the Fu-Deng Creek in Ma Tai An. There is an opening in each pond so that the creek water can re-circulate. Fish are able to stay and leave in the pond through the opening. At the bottom of the pond, there is bedding built for them. When we need to catch the fish or shrimp, the opening of the pond would be closed, so all of them would be trapped to be caught in the pond.

頭目馬耀仔細的在來訪的遊客解說巴拉告的結構。

The chief carefully explained to the visitors about the structures of the “Palakau”.

巴拉告共分三層，最底下的一層是用竹筒或筆筒樹幹平鋪，中間鋪上一層成捆的九芎木樹枝，最上層則是覆蓋雜草堆或棕櫚葉。巴拉告完成後放在池裡，就等魚兒們自動來定居。

“Palakau” has three layers. The bottom layer is made with bamboo tubes or tree trunks. The middle layer is tightened with branches or twigs. The top layer is covered with weeds or palm tree leaves. “Palakau” is placed in the pond for the bedding.

第一層是有鱗片魚兒的天下（如吳郭魚），第二層的樹枝則是小魚小蝦藏匿處，最底下一層空心的竹筒則是鰻魚、鱸鰻等沒有魚鱗的魚類躲藏地。

The top layer is for the fish that have scales, such as the Wu-Gou fish. The middle twig layer is for the small fish and shrimp to stay. The bottom bamboo tube layer is for the fish that have no scales, such as eel, bass kind of fish to stay.

第一層魚兒的排泄物及食物碎屑跟排泄物，掉到下層變成小魚小蝦的養分，而魚的屍體則成了無鱗片魚兒的食物，巴拉告的生態體系就這樣大功告成了！

The waste and the food of the top layer fish will fall to the second layer to become the food for the small fish and shrimp on the second layer. The dead fish become the food for the bottom layer fish. This is the structure of the “ Palakau”.

了解了巴拉告的基本結構，當然肯定也要親自體驗一下捕魚的樂趣，大夥連忙脫掉鞋襪，拉起褲管，準備下水囉！

After we understood the structure, of course we needed to try it ourselves. We took off our shoes and socks, rolled up the pants, and got ready to walk into the pond!

步驟一：先將最上層的棕櫚葉移開

Step 1: Move away the top layer palm trees cover.

步驟二：把三角漁網置於水裡

Step 2: Place the triangle fish net into the water.

步驟三：把成綑的樹枝抱起，輕拍，讓小魚小蝦掉進網裡。這個步驟需要一人拿魚網，一人抱樹枝，合力配合才能完成.

Step 3: Hold the twigs and lightly racket the twigs to let small fish and shrimp to fall into the net. In order to do this, two persons are needed with one holding the twigs and the other the net.

步驟四：把最底下一層的竹筒倒入網中。不過，拿起竹筒前，要先將一側開口用手堵住，不然，竹筒一拿起來，魚兒就落跑囉！

Step 4: To pour the fish in the bamboo tube into the net, you have to close the opening on one side, so that the fish would not run through.

步驟五：撈捕到的魚，就是準備要下肚的美味佳餚啦！

Step 5:The fish we caught are ready to be cooked!

不管捕到多少魚，當地人只會留下夠吃的份量，把多餘的魚送回水裡，這樣魚兒才能生生不息，他們也才能不斷有美味的鮮魚可以吃。從巴拉告生態捕魚體驗，可以發現當地族人順應自然、適取適用的生活態度，相當值得學習哦！

Only a small amount of fish would be caught at a time. The remaining fish can reproduce in the pond. With the “ Palakau” experience, we understood and learned how the natives have adapted their lifestyle to the Mother Nature. Read More