Statement from the ATAYAL Organization: Post COVID-19 Edition

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the global economy and world health. It put a stop to cultural exchange activities from around the world and it has affected non-profit organizations, as donor priorities have shifted towards pandemic prevention. Even dark clouds have silver linings. The downtime has given our organization the opportunity and the time to focus on our strategic planning and program development. We have also had breakthroughs in developing key relationships.

Our team is growing! Many of our staff and board members are relatively new, so we will take this opportunity to provide this Statement for everyone to understand where our organization stands and what we are committed to achieving together as a team.

A QUICK INTRODUCTION TO OUR ORGANIZATION

1) Here is information about our organization, at a quick glance:

2) We are an American 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2001.

3) The organization is registered in Florida and Washington State.

4) Our organization can provide tax-deductible receipts for donations in the USA.

5) Our organization is committed to transparency, and all tax filings and documents are publicly viewable on our GuideStar profile page.

6) Our website is https://www.indigenousbridges.org.

7) The vision of the organization was a result of the founder’s (Tony Coolidge) discovery of his mother’s Taiwanese indigenous (Atayal Tribe) roots, which is captured in the award-winning documentary film, Voices In The Clouds. Please watch the film, if you haven’t seen it.

8) Our far-reaching international programs, known as Indigenous Bridges, connect indigenous tribes of the USA, Taiwan and other Austronesian countries.

9) Our indigenous exchange programs facilitate cultural, education, tourism and trade exchanges.

10) The organization provides people, services and resources that facilitate indigenous exchange. We do not create exchange programs. We connect indigenous groups, resources, and volunteers to indigenous exchange opportunities.

11) Our network of indigenous groups and resources, known as our Indigenous Bridges Network (IBN), includes the groups involved in the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys event, however, it will expand to other groups around the world and will facilitate other indigenous exchanges in the future.

12) The services our non-profit organization provides to facilitate indigenous exchanges include: consulting, introductions, MOU development, Sister Tribe relationship development, communications facilitation, including translation, and connection to resources.

 

 IT'S ALL ABOUT THE YOUTH

Our current focus is supporting indigenous youth exchanges with the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys in the USA and Canada and reciprocal exchanges in Taiwan. This exchange was introduced by our organization’s Deputy Director, Gary Smoke, who initiated the first exchange between Taiwan’s Tao Tribe and the Nisqually Tribe in 2017. Hanford McCloud, the leader of the host family invited the Tao and other tribes from around the world in an effort to expand the horizons of the Nisqually youth. Since that initial exchange, the ATAYAL Organization has facilitated several exchanges with Tribal Canoe Journeys and Hanford McCloud joined as our organization’s Board Member. COVID-19 put the Tribal Canoe Journeys on hold, but our organization has sought to expand our partnerships in Taiwan to provide indigenous youth ambassadors from Taiwan to participate in Tribal Canoe Journeys and to host Native American delegations traveling to Taiwan in the future.

 PROJECTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE LEGACY

Our projects include:

1) 2020-2021 Fundraising Campaign - We will kick off our most ambitious fundraising campaign in September 2020 to fund our activities in 2020 and 2021. To adjust to the needs of protecting participants in the 2021 Tribal Canoe Journeys, we plan to use part of our donations to purchase “Made In Taiwan” surgical masks to provide as gifts to the participants and host tribes.

2) Indigenous Youth Ambassadors Program - We will cooperate with a group of outstanding indigenous university students through an international program organized and supported by the Council of Indigenous People (CIP). We will work with Hanford McCloud to develop a youth ambassadors program that can create a meaningful result for exchanges between the Taiwanese indigenous youth and Native American youth.

3) Native American Indigenous Tour of Taiwan - Hanford McCloud (Nisqually Tribe), Freddie Lane (Lummi Tribe), and up to 2 others will travel to Taiwan in May 2020 to explore indigenous tourism and initiate contacts for their part of the Indigenous Youth Ambassadors Program. They will visit the Tao Tribe on Orchid Island and experience other indigenous tours arranged by the CIP. The visiting delegation will have an opportunity to share their feedback on their experiences and share what they have learned about indigenous tourism in the USA.

4) Traditional Tatala Canoe Building Project - Akai, a traditional tatala canoe builder from the Tao Tribe of Taiwan has a dream of building his traditional canoe in Washington State in cooperation with the host Nisqually Tribe and other Native Americans who want to learn the Taiwanese canoe building methods. The final Tatala canoe will be housed with the Nisqually Tribe and will be used by Taiwanese youth ambassadors during the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys events. The Burke Museum expressed interest in documenting the project. 

Our partners involved include:

1) Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) - Providing grants, university students for the Indigenous Youth Ambassadors, and other resources.

2) TECO Seattle - Taiwan’s government office in Seattle can provide important introductions, resources and logistics support for Tribal Canoe Journeys.

3) Native American Groups - These include the Nisqually Tribe, Lummi Tribe, Puyallup Tribe and all tribes we have interacted with during the Tribal Canoe Journeys. 

4) Taiwan Indigenous Groups - Groups that have participated with our exchanges include the Tao Foundation, the Liouguei Indigenous Children’s Choir, and others.

5) Burke Museum, University of Washington, Seattle - The Burke Museum expressed interest in working with our delegations from Taiwan and with Akai on the Traditional Tatala Canoe Building Project.

With these projects successfully facilitated, supported and completed, the participating partners can ensure a legacy of sustainable, ongoing exchanges. These will lead to the establishment of Sister Tribe relationships. With the trust built between tribes, exchange activities between them can expand to culture, education and economic opportunities. The Indigenous Youth Ambassadors can be the pioneers and caretakers of these Sister Tribe relationships, and bring together traditional knowledge and resources to improve all participating communities.

We are making progress. We had a very productive meeting with the Council of Indigenous Peoples in Taipei on August 21, 2020 to forward our four projects. Click here to see the meeting results.

We will begin our 2020-2021 Fundraising Campaign in September 2020. The ATAYAL organization needs everyone’s help to ensure there are enough resources and energy to make this vision a reality.

THANK YOU!