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...

Here is a photo of the traditional decorations on the tatala   Dan Long, a long-time teacher and administrator in Taipei American School, has loaned his tatala to the ATAYAL organization. We thank Mr. Long for this long-term loan. A tatala is a canoe from the Lanyü (Orchid Island) of Taiwan that is used by the native Tao peoples. Right now, the canoe is located in Charleston, South Carolina. Our goal is to move the tatala to the Seattle area in order to participate in the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys.      Tribal Canoe Journeys is an annual event organized by the Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Every year, people from various First Nations travel across the Pacific Northwest Coast with decorated traditional canoes. We are planning to represent the Indigenous peoples of Taiwan in this event. In order to participate in the Tribal Canoe Journeys for 2023 we need to move the tatala to Seattle by July 2023. We also look forward to making stops along th...