Key facts
- Indigenous Taiwanese from Orchid Island are paddling to the Philippines in a hand-built canoe.
- The voyage aims to revive a centuries-old maritime route and reconnect cultural ties between the Tao people and indigenous groups in the Philippines.
- The 20-seat canoe, named 'Golden Friendship,' was built by six communities on Orchid Island.
- The journey is supported by modern vessels for safety and involves 60 people rowing in shifts.
- The Bashi Channel, a strategic waterway, is frequently patrolled by Chinese warships.
A group of indigenous Taiwanese from Orchid Island have set out on a journey to the Philippines in a hand-built wooden canoe, aiming to re-establish a maritime route that has been dormant for centuries. The Tao people of Orchid Island, located off Taiwan's southeastern coast, share close cultural and linguistic ties with indigenous groups in the Philippines' Batanes Islands.
The 20-seat canoe, named 'Golden Friendship,' was constructed by builders from six communities on Orchid Island as part of a government-backed initiative. The voyage across the Bashi Channel is expected to take approximately 24 hours, with 60 individuals rotating in rowing duties, supported by accompanying vessels.
Maraos, chairperson of Taiwan's Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation, stated that the project's goal is to reconnect the long-forgotten sea route, thereby enabling the continuation of their cultures and languages. Hsieh Hsiu-hsiung, a 61-year-old rower and diving instructor, expressed confidence due to the presence of modern support ships, contrasting it with the unknown methods their ancestors likely used for navigation.
The Tao are one of Taiwan's smaller indigenous groups, with a population of about 5,000. Orchid Island is a popular tourist spot but is often cut off from the mainland due to weather and its remote location. The Bashi Channel is a highly strategic waterway frequently patrolled by Chinese warships. Maraos voiced a hope that the voyage would be respected by all nations and that they would not be harassed at sea.