Our Lady of the Carmen of Qaljapang - Prayer and return to the community

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In Qaljapang, the Paiwan community of Dawu, the church is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. His story speaks of donated land, shared work and families who, although living outside for work reasons, return every July 16 to celebrate the patron party together.

Qaljapang and their movements

The Encyclopedia of the Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan identifies Qaljapang as a predominantly paiwan community. Remember a previous name, Ruwwtjen, and relate Qaljapang to cakalip, car asociada al jasmine anaranjado.

During the Japanese period, in 1930, part of the population was forced to move towards the former settlement of Nanshan. The difficulty of living on the coast then led to a return to the mountains near the current location. Another local memory dates back some of the lineage to Jiatsilai, in Mudan, and to post-Mudan displacements.

These layers should not be reduced to a single linear route. They explain why return, territory and community cohesion have a profound value before even considering the history of the church.

Land offered and temple built together

The Catholic preaching began in 1955 with catechist Zhu Jinsheng, from Dazhu's mission. Later, Chen Tianguang offered a land for the church. In 1959 the faithful themselves raised a wooden temple there.

GCatholic has registered the community since 1958. This date may correspond to the ecclesial organization prior to the 1959 building; therefore the page retains the three milestones and does not force them in a single year.

The 1991 temple

When the wooden building stopped responding to needs, the community prepared a new church. The resident families outside provided resources and the work was completed in 1991.

Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo- hsi, then bishop, consecrated the new temple 16 July 1991, date of Our Lady of Carmen. The coincidence between party and dedication strengthens the relationship of the building with its Marian title.

Volver para la fiesta

Cultural memory is a practice maintained by immigrant families: those who work outside return for the July 16 patronal celebration and help when the church needs support. The new building was made possible in part by these contributions.

Labour migration can weaken the daily life of a community, but it also produces networks that maintain responsibilities towards the place of origin. The party serves as a meeting, transmission and renewal of commitments, not just a timely celebration.

The Virgin of Carmen: prayer and surrender

The name comes from Mount Carmel, in the Holy Land, associated with the prophet Elijah and a long tradition of seeking God. The Carmelite family presents Mary as a model of prayer, contemplation, listening to the Word and giving.

Benedict XVI taught that Mary helps to find God in the silence of prayer. The path does not end in a closed experience of oneself: it leads to Jesus Christ and prepares to serve.

The scapular is not an amulet.

Carmelite devotion is often expressed by the scapular. St. John Paul II explained that it is a habit of spiritual connection with Carmelo and a reminder of living according to the example of Mary.

It does not provide magic protection or guarantee salvation without faith, sacraments, conversion and charity. To carry it means to welcome the Word of God and to devote itself to the generous service of others.

Current language and continuity

A public register in 2024 includes the Qaljapang church among the projects to promote indigenous languages. The data confirms recent activity and the participation of the temple in the transmission of the eastern paiwan language.

Prayer, singing and training in one's own language contribute to the fact that faith does not require to abandon identity. The drafting of texts must be left to speakers and respect the decisions of the community.

Verified location

The National Cultural Memory publishes the coordinates 22.3609041, 120.8776765 and the address Qaljapang Bridge 17. GCatholic matches number 17 and its territorial code leads to the same building. The scoreboard is placed in the current site that was established in 1991.

To visit

It is a community church and is located in an area with documented natural risk. The weather conditions should be consulted and access confirmed with the parish of Dawu. Permission to photograph people, celebrations or paiwan elements should be requested, especially during the party.

Prayer to Our Lady of the Carmen of Qaljapang

Virgen del Carmen, accompany Qaljapang and his families, be close or far away. Gather those who return, keep those who work outside and strengthen the older and young people who transmit the Paiwan language. Show us the silence that listens to God and the service that is given to the brothers. It leads this community to Jesus Christ, holy mountain and hope for all. Amen.

Sources consulted

• National Cultural Memory: foundation, land, community building, 1991 temple and annual return.
• GCatholic: title, year, direction and pastoral dependence.
• Encyclopedia of Indigenous Peoples: Qaljapang, population, language and displacement.
• Diocese of Hualien: the pastoral network of Dawu.
• Public registration: recent promotion of indigenous language in Qaljapang.
• Benedict XVI: Virgin of Carmen, prayer and contemplation.
• St. John Paul II: Christian sense of the scapular of Carmen.

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