Tao tribesmen get hero’s welcome at Tamsui Wharf

Icyang Parod, chairman of the Cabinet-level Council of Indigenous Peoples, presided over a grand welcoming ceremony at the wharf in honor of the 14 Tao tribesmen who overcame many difficulties in rowing the Ipanga na, which means “keep rowing, “ to Taiwan proper from their homeland Lanyu, also known as Orchid Island, off Taiwan’s southeastern coast.

Noting that the Ipanga na is the largest Tao wooden boat ever built in a century and the first to reach Taiwan in living memory, Parod said the Tao tribal chief agreed to the building of the boat only after long consideration.

“The voyage marks a dream come true and symbolizes the indigenous people’s wisdom, unity, perseverance, courage and hard work,” an emotional Parod said.

The Tao tribesmen will take part in the inaugural ceremony Aug. 1 for a preparatory office for the Polynesian Forum which aims to promote exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and Polynesian countries, Parod said, adding that the beautifully designed Ipanga na will be exhibited at the National Taiwan Museum in downtown Taipei for some time.

Speaking on the same occasion, Wang Tien-chu, one of the Tao tribesmen who rowed the wooden boat, known as tatara in Tao language, to Taiwan proper, said the voyage is aimed at telling friends in Taiwan that the tatara boat culture in Lanyu is the aggregation of physiology, psychology, economy, belief, and the worldview of the Tao people.

Because of the aggression of the modern economy, Wang said, many young people in Lanyu are absorbed by the capitalistic market in Taiwan.

“Even though we can only build small wooden boats and cannot compete with Taiwanese fishermen who have used large modern ships to drain nearly all fishery resources from waters surrounding our homeland, we still harbor goodwill for the Han people in Taiwan,” Wang said in Tao language, adding that the voyage symbolizes the Tao people’s friendship and best wishes for Han people, which refer to immigrants from the Chinese mainland who form the bulk of Taiwan’s population.

The Ipanga na 1001, made of 60 planks of wood and measuring 10 meters in length, 1.7 meters in width, 2.7 meters in height, was built by five Tao fishing clans. Construction began last November, and finished in May.

The ship began its journey to Taiwan June 18 and made port calls in eastern Taiwan before arriving at Tamsui Fishermen’s Wharf.

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