Unraveling the Mystery of Pacific Migration! Shisanhang Museum's 'Riding the Wind and Waves' Special Exhibition Reveals the Navigational Wisdom of Austronesian Ancestors

Thousands of years ago, how did the ancestors of the Austronesian people cross the vast Pacific Ocean without compasses or GPS? The New Taipei City Shisanhang Museum presents the special exhibition "Riding the Wind and Waves: Ancient Austronesian Vessels," showcasing precious artifacts such as the "Marshall Islands Traditional Stick Chart," Tao people's plank canoes, and traditional dugout canoe models from various countries. Beginning with ancestral prayers to the sea and spirits in traditional songs, the exhibition deciphers the mysteries of ancient shipbuilding techniques and revives the grand memory of Austronesian ancestors who migrated across half the globe.

This special exhibition deeply analyzes how Austronesian peoples used unique vessel technologies to transform the vast ocean into interconnected pathways, unfolding through three main sections. "Departure: From Ark to Archipelago" illustrates the Austronesian language family’s distribution across more than 13,000 kilometers, explores the academic hypothesis of the "Out of Taiwan Theory," and reconstructs the epic maritime migration routes of these early peoples. "Vanished Boats, Enduring Journeys" focuses on archaeological discoveries in Taiwan. Since wooden hulls rarely survive in soil layers, archaeologists piece together prehistoric vessel technology from unearthed artifacts, confirming Taiwan’s pivotal role in Austronesian maritime culture. "Islands as Ships, Living Toward the Sea" reveals the cultural essence of Austronesian peoples’ symbiotic relationship with the ocean through rituals, ceremonies, and oral expressions related to boats, allowing visitors to experience the ocean as a lived space.

The exhibition features a total of 46 groups of artifacts. A highlight is the "Marshall Islands Traditional Stick Chart," which uses wooden sticks to indicate ocean currents and shell fragments to mark island locations—an educational tool that passed navigational knowledge across generations, demonstrating the astonishing wayfinding wisdom of Oceania’s ancestors. In addition to beautifully crafted boat models and rich archaeological finds, the exhibition is co-organized with institutions including the Republic of the Marshall Islands Embassy, National History Museum, Institute of Ethnology at Academia Sinica, National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, and Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts. It also features contemporary artworks by artists such as Lahaize Dhalif, Chen Cheng-jui, and Kang Ya-chu, interpreting the enduring marine vitality of Austronesian communities through diverse artistic forms.

Dr. Pei-Hsuan Lo, Director of the Shisanhang Museum, stated that this exhibition not only showcases the exceptional seafaring skills of ancient Austronesian peoples through various vessels and cultural artifacts but also conveys a sustainable spirit of harmony between humans and the ocean. She hopes visitors will recognize the courage of Austronesian ancestors and become more engaged in the preservation and transmission of contemporary marine cultures. "Riding the Wind and Waves: Ancient Austronesian Vessels" will be on display at the Second Special Exhibition Hall of the Shisanhang Museum until May 9, 2027. For more information, please visit the museum’s official website (http://www.sshm.ntpc.gov.tw) or Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/13hangmuseum).