Perspectives of Indigenous Bridges

Si Rojiang (Huang, Guang-de)   Si Rojiang (Huang, Guang-de) Master Canoe Builder Dongqing Village, Orchid Island  Huang Guang-De, an elder from a renowned canoe-building family of the Tao (Yami) people in Dongqing Village, Orchid Island (Lanyu 蘭嶼), is one of the few remaining traditional artisans on the island who fully master the construction of tatala (plank-built canoes). With profound indigenous knowledge and a deep connection to nature, he personally sources timber from the mountains and tests his vessels in the ocean, preserving the Tao's seafaring culture where canoes are considered part of the family. Huang has successfully voyaged across the Kuroshio Current from Orchid Island (Lanyu 蘭嶼) to Taitung in a handcrafted canoe, retracing the ancestral maritime routes of his people. In recent years, he has actively participated in international cultural collaborations, including joining the Taiwan Outrigger Canoe Club (TOCC) in a canoe-building project with two master builde...

A-way introduces her native Saisiyat language. So’o kayzaeh ay! My name is A-way (ah-wai) Maya Titiyon and my mother is from the Saisiyat People. It’s one of the smallest indigenous groups in the country. Our traditional lands are in Western Taiwan, mostly in the mountainous areas of Hsinchu (Wufong) and Miaoli (Nanzhuang and Shitan). My tribe (Wufong) has been greatly influenced by the much larger ethnic groups of Atayal and Haaka through intermarriage, which is why our language has become endangered with only about 1000 fully-fluent speakers. Even though my mother grew up in a Saisiyat village when she was young, she never learned the language, as she had to speak Mandarin at school, and most of her classmates either spoke Haaka or Atayal outside of the classroom. So, I grew up in an environment where I had little exposure to our culture, but at important festivals like paSta'ay, my family would bring their children back to participate. Even if I'm rarely in the tribe while ...

A photo exhibit from the 2018-2019 Tribal Canoe Journeys Waterways: Our Ties to Water & One Another was an exhibit designed and curated by Anthonie Tumpag and co-organized with Muslim American Leadership Alliance (MALA) in celebration of the Chicago Cultural Alliance's 2021 Journey Chicago programming . The gallery show, located at West Loop Dot Gallery in downtown Chicago, highlighted how water can serve as a conduit bringing diverse people together and opened dialogue about the importance of environmental conservation locally and abroad. It featured ATAYAL Organization's experiences with the Tribal Canoe Journey. The entrance of the West Loop Dot Gallery in downtown Chicago. The exhibit featured several of New York & Chicago's most influential up-and-coming artists, while providing a space to network with Chicago cultural leaders. The show was held on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at West Loop Dot Gallery in Fulton Market, a trendy culinary and entertainment distric...

Anthonie Laurence Tumpag facilitated this exhibit at the Trickster Cultural Center.   For the month of July 2021, the Trickster Cultural Center in Chicago, Illinois will be displaying photos and artifacts relating to the ongoing cultural exchanges between the Native Americans of Washington State and the indigenous tribes of Taiwan. These cultural exchanges have been happening through the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys since 2017. The ATAYAL Organization has been facilitating these cultural exchanges through its Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Program (IBYAP).   Anthonie experienced Taiwanese indigenous culture during a visit to Taiwan in 2012.   The exhibit includes Taiwanese indigenous artifacts and art provided by Anthonie's private collection. It also showcases photos and links to videos about the experiences of the Taiwanese indigenous cultural exchange participants in the 2018 and 2019 Tribal Canoe Journeys. These experiences were facilitated by their host, Hanfo...

(Left to Right) Jeff Choke, Hsiao Chu-Wu, William Tsang, Michael Mason, Jeff Chang, Daniel Kuo-ching Chen, Hanford McCloud, Jenny Kung, Justin Wei, Robert Thomas, Jr. March 26, 2021 - Bellevue, WA - A special cross-cultural ceremony took place at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) Culture Center in Bellevue Washington on Friday, March 26, 2021. The donation ceremony started with an acknowledgement of the land that this event took place on as the traditional home of the original caretakers who are still here today. Five thousand medical face masks and “Taiwan Can Help” care packages were donated to Nisqually tribe. DG Chen, President Chang, and Council/Board Member McCloud were presented with Certificates of Appreciation from the ATAYAL Organization. DG Chen presented the ATAYAL organization with Paiwan artwork from Taiwan. The Nisqually Tribe presented Taiwanese attendees with locally made gifts and posters of Chief Leschi, a prominent leader of the Nisqually Tribe. Proje...

Village In The Clouds was an article originally written for ORIENT Magazine and published on May 20, 1997. The article documented my first trip back to Taiwan after leaving Taiwan as a young child in 1971. The trip occurred in the Summer of 1996, after the death of my mother. My aunt Yu Yin Lytle and uncle Jim Lytle brought me to Taiwan to meet my relatives. The trip revealed far more than I ever expected, and the unexpected discoveries led to my decision to form the ATAYAL organization , which is named after my mother's tribe. This story of the unexpected discovery of my mother's indigenous roots and search for understanding why she kept her ethnic roots hidden became the cornerstone of the Voices In The Clouds documentary film. This version is revised for more accuracy and republished. Last summer, I was blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime. Twenty-five years after my family and I left Taiwan for the land of baseball and apple pie, I was offered a chance to revisit my ...

      2022 Indigenous Bridges Virtual Conference: Revitalizing Indigenous Tourism In The Post-Pandemic World A virtual cultural exchange event of the Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Program (IBYAP) hosted by the ATAYAL Organization.   Vision Statement   This virtual cultural exchange conference and exhibit strives to build connections between indigenous youth that starts with interactive culture-sharing opportunities that promote understanding. From the position of mutual respect and understanding, we offer a platform of learning and problem-solving activities that build leadership potential. While the pandemic has forced many of us to remain apart, technology has allowed our generation to remain connected digitally, where we can continue to advocate methods of sustainable development and environmental protection while respecting cultural traditions.   Objectives   The virtual cultural exchange event of the Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Progr...