Chinese Name: 邱金士

Born: 1945

Birthplace: Pingtung County (Southern Taiwan) 

Did You Know That…?

In addition to being knowledgeable in the traditional art of building Rukai stone slab houses, Auvini Kadresengan is also a writer who has received the Taiwan Literature Award. His work focuses on the state of indigenous villages and their history.

Auvini Kadresengan is a member of the Rukai people, one of Taiwan’s Indigenous groups. Born in Kucapungane Village, Pingtung County, he was given the Chinese name “Chiu Chin-shih (邱金士).” His father, a priest and hunter, raised him with the intention of becoming a priest, deeply immersing him in Rukai culture and spiritual beliefs.

From 1958 to 1964, during his teenage years, Auvini accompanied his father on house renovation projects in the village. Through this experience, he learned the traditional methods of building stone slab houses from the elders.

In 1974, Auvini left his hometown to study at Taiwan Adventist College in Yunlin County. Three years later, he began working at a church. In 1990, he resigned and returned to Kucapungane Village to rebuild his family’s stone slab house. This eventually led him to participate in the reconstruction of traditional stone slab houses in the area. In 2021, the Pingtung County Government officially recognized him as a preserver of the Rukai traditional stone slab house building technique.

Auvini Kadresengan has a deep understanding of the structure, function, and design of stone slab houses, maintaining traditional methods while ensuring structural soundness. He is skilled in making hexagonal beams and knows how to enhance the longevity of the houses. After Typhoon Morakot in 2009, he organized the village members to work on the reconstruction of stone slab houses, significantly contributing to the preservation of this tradition.

Stone slab houses are a vital part of Rukai history and tradition, embodying Rukai knowledge and values in nature, culture, and art. The construction of these houses is deeply connected to the local environment and materials, reflecting the builders’ cultural insights and understanding of materials and building techniques. They also serve as an important expression of the community’s cultural interpretation and aesthetic presentation.