Perspectives of Indigenous Bridges

  This document lays out the path for the future of our non-profit organization, including the steps required to achieve our ultimate goal, empowering the next generations of Indigenous leaders to build international connections and develop sustainable community development projects. Our future vision embraces our longstanding Mission Statement: Our organization empowers Indigenous youth to be future problem-solvers, building international connections, exchanges, and programs that bridge the gap between the sustainability of traditional knowledge and the societal challenges of the modern world. 2023 VISION The organization completes organizational overhaul and rebranding of programs, adding officers, board members, fundraising director, and other key directors The organization raises USD $50,000 annually to fund legacy programs The organization is registered in 3 U.S. States The organization supports Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassadors from 6 First Nations USD $2,000 in educationa...

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 ...

The work of Indigenous language preservation continues, despite the pandemic. Indigenous youth from the Paiwan group participating in the2021 National Indigenous Language Speech Contest in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Despite the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreading worldwide, prompting additional protection measures, including lockdowns, in many countries, Taiwan has remained relatively safe. As of 12/25, Taiwan's authorities reported a total of 27 imported cases of the Omicron variant , all from inbound flights from fully-vaccinated travelers. However, there currently have been no local cases. The lack of local cases has allowed Taiwan to remain in business-as-usual mode, with some protective measures remaining in place. Students practice their speeches before they compete.   Schoolchildren have attended classes at school since the Fall Semester began, despite a partial lockdown affecting Taiwan from May-August 2021. Cultural and educational activities have also continued, including indigen...

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...

      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...

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) ...