Early in the morning, the scent of cooking Cinavu (traditional dumplings) fills the air at the Tusaka Elder Center. You can smell it from a mile away!
At the same time, the kids from the kindergarten are walking hand-in-hand, making their way toward the center...
Children learn culture from the elders, while the elders find joy in the children’s laughter.
Kitchen Manners: <br>Learning to clean up after cooking is an important part of the day.
"Kids, what are we doing today?"
"Making Cinavu!" they shout, their voices cracking with excitement.
"What’s this?"
"Vaqu! (Millet!)"
"And this?"
"Syaku! (Pumpkin!)"
"How about the name for this leaf?"
"Ljavilu!"
"And the wrapper?"
"Ngat!"
The Vuvu (elders) guide them through the words in their native language, and the children repeat them back in high, clear voices, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Learning the Why and How
The elders explain the secrets of the craft:
"Do you know why we use Ljavilu leaves? They make it taste better and keep the food from sticking to your hands or the outer wrapper!"
"Back in the day, when we worked hard in the mountains, we didn't make these small 'S-sized' ones like today. We made 'XXXL' versions! We’d layer the leaves and make them over 20 centimeters long."
"You can use millet, pumpkin, or pigeon peas. Each one gives it a different texture!"
"Vuvu, am I doing it right?" a child asks.
"Fold it like this, so the millet doesn't leak out," the elder replies, guiding the child’s tiny hands with their own large, experienced ones.
Following every move, the children carefully wrap their very first Cinavu.
First Steps: <br>Big hands guide small ones as the children wrap their very first Cinavu.
Rich Flavors: <br>Adding pumpkin or pigeon peas makes the dish even more delicious.
Song and Dance: <br>Vuvu lead the kids in traditional songs, filling the room with music.
Gratitude: <br>The children say a big thank you to the elders for teaching them today.Laughter and Life Lessons
While the pots simmer, the Vuvu start singing traditional nursery rhymes. The children dance and jump along, their laughter making the whole room feel younger.
Once the wrapping is done, the tables are messy with oil and scraps.
"Who wants to help clean up?"
"Me! Me! Me!" The kids rush to grab cloths, eager to help. It’s all part of the lesson: respect for the kitchen.
A Bridge Between Past and Future
The elders are full of treasures—not just in their language and skills, but in the stories of their lives. There’s no lecturing or testing here. Just by being close to them, the children naturally soak up these experiences.
In this exchange, the children learn culture, while the elders find new energy and purpose through the children's joy. It’s a moment of pure warmth.
Today, Cinavu became a kind of magic. Together, they wrapped the taste of home and the memories of their people, building a gentle bridge between the past and the future.
🌾 Let millet continue to take root on the hillsides—and sprout in the hearts of our children.
Through the “Millet in Schools” initiative, the Tse-Xin Foundation invites companies and all caring individuals to join us.
Let’s help children eat with awareness, and let their taste buds remember the flavor of this land.
👉 Support the Millet in Schools Initiative: https://forms.gle/uMB1Ncb6Fi7nZJAP8
👉 Contact: Director Chien Yu-Chuan, Tse-Xin Hualien–Taitung Office
Email: Email住址會使用灌水程式保護機制。你需要啟動Javascript才能觀看它
📽️ Millet in Schools Video: https://youtu.be/3nI2_5EdMQI?si=eQOBJ5jSz19d5Bhp