TAITUNG, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 30 September 2022 - Taitung launched its new Taitung Blue Ocean Daily festival on September 17 at four of the county’s iconic maritime venues: Shanyuan Bay, Jinzun, Flowing Lake, and Green Island. There will be 5 weeks of activities between these famous locations. Many paid a visit to Shanyuan to witness the spectacle that is the Outrigger Canoe. For this year’s event, Kimokeo Kapahulehua (Unkle K), an international expert from Hawaii, was invited to share his story about how his Austronesian ancestors thousands of years ago sailed from Taiwan to Hawaii on canoes. Unkle K arrived in Taiwan to sail on the Outrigger to further connect with his ancestors. On Thursday, 22 September, the Taitung County Government collaborated with Kimokeo Foundation in Hawaii, and the local Duli tribe to undergo the challenge to sail a long-distance on an outrigger canoe on Taiwanese waters for the first time. The canoe departed from the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean and sailed towards the traditional waters of the Duli tribe, establishing a meaningful milestone for the 2022 Taitung Blue Ocean Daily.

The Austronesian Culture feat. Indigenous Tribal Life Experience was held on Thursday, September 22, marking the first time Taiwan has ever sailed in the Pacific Ocean along the coast on an outrigger canoe. When the outrigger canoe sailed near Pacefongan, the traditional waters of the Duli tribe, sailors blew through conch shells to announce their visit. Meanwhile, the people shoreside responded friendly by blowing bamboo horns in a canoe welcoming ceremony. After the outrigger canoe successfully landed on the shore, the elders presented the oarsman on the outrigger canoes with the traditional Amis ornaments to express their welcome. The outrigger canoe was named Pera (meaning the sea water splits) after the rocks on the river mouth at the Duli tribe as a means to re-establish tradition and camaraderie among the islands of the Austronesian tribes.

After the canoe welcome ceremony, the Duli tribe invited the representatives from the Kimokeo Foundation of Hawaii to visit the Amis Folk Center to conduct a house worship ceremony and fired blanks from bamboo cannons to salute and bless the visitors as well as to share the legacy of the Amis culture.

The Taitung County Government claims that Taiwan is the home of the Austronesian tribes. Taitung is home to 6 Austronesian tribes: Paiwan, Bunun, Rukai, Pinuyumayan, Yami (Tao), and Kavalan tribes. As Taitung is the only county with the most indigenous tribes in Taiwan, these tribes help form Taitung’s diverse local culture. As the Austronesian tribes have over 3000 years of history building connections and friendships amongst the island nations by sailing across the Pacific Ocean on outrigger canoes, hence Taiwan is the homeland of the Austronesians. The Taitung County Government intends to re-create the cultural legacy of the Austronesian tribes and introduce the diverse tribal cultures, the longest and the most beautiful coastline in Taiwan, as well as the unique charm of the local seaside city to the world.

For more information, please visit Taitung Blue Ocean Daily’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083162535238

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