Taiwan's Lanyu Plank Boat to Sail to Philippines on June 15, Reviving 300-Year-Old 'Ancient Sea Route'

(CNA, by reporter Lu Tai-cheng, Taitung County, June 11) A 20-person plank boat, the 'Golden Friendship,' the largest of its kind in modern times built by the Tao (Yami) people of Taitung County's Lanyu (Orchid Island), will depart on the 15th. It will brave the Kuroshio Current on a voyage to the Batanes islands of the Philippines, recreating a 300-year-old ancient sea route of exchange between Lanyu and Batanes.

The 20-person plank boat, a joint effort by the Cabinet's Council of Indigenous Peoples, the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation, and the Tao people from six tribes on Lanyu, was completed in March. It underwent a test voyage on April 28 and held a traditional launch ceremony on June 9. It is scheduled to row from Lanyu to Batanes on the 15th.

Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Ljaucu‧Zingrur said in his speech at the launch ceremony that Taiwan is a crucial node in the expansion of Austronesian-speaking peoples to the world. He stated that the maritime wisdom of indigenous peoples is not only a vital asset to the tribes but also a cultural force for the nation. This voyage is not just a cultural exchange but also an exercise in cultural diplomacy and education. He added that they will continue to promote language revitalization, craft exchanges, and youth visits to perpetuate Austronesian culture through cross-sea exchanges.

The organizer, the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation, stated that the 'Lanyu-Batanes First Voyage in 300 Years' project took three years to prepare. The vessel for the voyage, the 'Ovayan Golden Friendship,' is one of the largest modern traditional Tao plank boats, measuring about 12 meters in length and capable of carrying 20 people. 'Ovayan' means a man's golden chest ornament in the Tao language, symbolizing the important cultural memory derived from the historical maritime trade flow between Lanyu and the Batanes islands.

Maraos, the chairman of the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation, told a CNA reporter by phone today that the Golden Friendship is expected to set sail on the 15th. Sixty people will row in shifts at full speed, and the journey from Lanyu's Longmen Harbor to Mahatao Port in the Batanes is expected to take two days and one night.

A fleet of seven escort vessels, led by the zero-carbon ship 'Porrima P111,' will provide support and escort missions. This combines contemporary sustainable technology with traditional maritime wisdom, allowing the world to see Taiwan's profound Austronesian cultural power and symbolizing a cross-generational dialogue between traditional culture and contemporary technology.

Maraos expressed his hope that this voyage will once again show the world the Tao people's maritime cultural spirit and navigational wisdom, and also show Pacific nations the power of Taiwan's indigenous peoples in continuously protecting the ocean and perpetuating Austronesian culture. After the fleet arrives in the Batanes, people from both sides will hold a port entry ceremony, song exchanges, and cultural sharing activities, reconnecting their historical memories and cultural affections through the ocean. (Editor: Wu Su-jou) 1150611