Indigenous hunter Tama Talum, 62, was one of the hundreds from his Bunun tribe heading into Taiwan's mountains and taking part last week in Mala Hodaigian, an annual festival that honours both hunters and wild game.

But a shadow hung over this year's festivities because of a landmark court ruling set for Friday.

At stake is both Talum's freedom -- and whether the current hunting limitations placed on Taiwan's Indigenous communities are discriminatory and unconstitutional.