Ita Thau Elementary School

Ita Thau Elementary School holds a singular place among Taiwan's schools. It was originally founded in 1949 as a branch of Yuchih National School at Shuishe, and became an independent school in 1961 under the name "Dehua Elementary School." On August 1, 2019, it was officially renamed "Ita Thau Elementary School," replacing the colonial-derived "Dehua" name — a renaming that reflected a broader movement of cultural restoration. Located directly in the Ita Thau tribal village on the shore of Sun Moon Lake, it is the only school in Taiwan dedicated to the language and culture of the Thao (邵族) people, Taiwan's smallest officially recognized indigenous group. The school anchors the community's efforts to keep Thao language and traditions alive for the next generation.

伊達邵國小在台灣的學校中佔有獨特的地位。學校最初於1949年設立，為水社的魚池國校分校，1961年獨立設校，命名為「德化國小」。2019年8月1日，學校正式更名為「伊達邵國小」，以部落名稱取代帶有殖民色彩的「德化」舊名——這次更名反映出更廣泛的文化復振運動。校址就位於日月潭畔的伊達邵部落內，是台灣唯一以邵族——台灣官方認定人口最少的原住民族——語言與文化為主體的學校。學校肩負著為部落下一代傳承邵族語言與傳統的重要使命。