Housing recovery and community relocation: Lessons learned from indigenous community recovery after typhoon Morakot in Taiwan

Abstract

Modern states have been concerned with helping Indigenous communities recover after disasters, often through relocation, to prevent future disasters. However, such strategies are often fraught with difficulty and challenges. This study uses qualitative and quantitative data collected over a decade after Typhoon Morakot to analyze how the Han-People-dominated Taiwanese government assisted Indigenous communities in off-site disaster recovery. According to this study, post-disaster recovery programs had to be implemented speedily and comprehensively within the constraints of time and institutions, resulting in a lack of Indigenous participation and difficulty meeting the recovery needs of Indigenous communities in various ways. Notwithstanding Indigenous communities’ use of social capital to fight for and secure external resources. In early stages, Indigenous communities protested government policies through internal community bonding, bridging among affected Indigenous communities, and linking with national NGOs to raise awareness regarding recovery issues. In later stages, the government collaborated with communities that were relocated to address recovery issues. However, if relocation sites and housing options are already determined, only partial improvements can be made without resolving the primary problems of livelihood and cultural preservation. This situation calls for the promotion of pre-impact recovery planning in Indigenous communities at risk of disasters.