TRIBAL CANOE JOURNEYS INDIGENOUS YOUTH EXCHANGE

In 2017, the first Tao delegation joined the Nisqually Canoe Family.

The Tao Tribe of Orchid Island, off the southeast coast of Taiwan, have an ancient and active Indigenous canoe culture that revolves around the annual harvest of flying fish. Because family and communal canoes are an integral part of their lives, it is understandable that the Tao Foundation has actively sought international cultural exchanges with other canoe-oriented tribes, and the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys in the Pacific Northwest region (USA and Canada) host dozens of canoe-going tribes, making it an ideal event to participate in. The Tao Tribe has also invited Native American youth groups to participate in a reciprocal visit to Taiwan to share their culture and return the generous hospitality.

The Tribal Canoe Journey is one of the most meaningful, significant Native American cultural events in the USA. Hundreds of participating members of tribal canoe families from Alaska to California paddle along ancestral migration routes along the coast to reach the final host tribe. Tribal communities along the coastal route welcome paddlers with hospitality and sharing of culture in events known as Protocols. The final host tribes, which host the Final Protocol, have either been in Washington State or British Columbia, Canada. In the Summer of 2019, we participated in Paddle To Lummi and there were Indigenous participants from Hawaii and New Zealand, including groups of indigenous youth. Click here for a recap of the experiences.

The Taiwanese Indigenous delegation participating in the Tribal Canoe Journeys in 2018.

With consultation with Syaman Lamuran of the Tao Tribe and Hanford McCloud of the Nisqually tribe, who were brought together by Gary Smoke, Deputy Director, the ATAYAL organization launched the Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Project (IBYAP). With the experience, services and resources provided by the Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Program (IBYAP), our organization hopes to add value and purpose to the exchanges of Indigenous youth.

Read below to see what has developed so far. If you have any questions or comments about our past exchanges, please contact us at this e-mail address.

PREVIOUS RESULTS

Click to see our results from 2019 Paddle To Lummi. Below are some of the previous results of the Tribal Canoe Journeys Exchange:

In 2019, the Nisqually Canoe Family discussed an initial trip to Taiwan.
In 2019, the Taiwanese delegation discussed Sister Village relationship goals with the Nisqually, Puyallup and Lummi Tribes.
The Nisqually canoe family and the members of the Tao Tribe have been discussing a Sister Village relationship.
The Nisqually canoe family has been discussing with our organization a visit to the Tao Tribe in Taiwan.
In 2018, an initial delegation of 6 members of the Tao tribe participated in the Tribal Canoe Journey.
In 2017, a traditional canoe of the Tao Tribe (tatala) was given to the Burke Museum and blessed by a tribal choir from Taiwan.
In 2017, an initial delegation of 4 members of the Tao tribe participated in the Tribal Canoe Journey.
A relationship was formed with a Seattle-area Indigenous-Taiwanese-American culture group, who have performed at the Final Protocols of the Tribal Canoe Journeys since 2017.
In 2017, a relationship was formed with the Burke Museum at the University of Washington.
A relationship was established between The Tao (Yami) Tribe of Orchid Island, Taiwan and the Nisqually People of Washington State.
In 2016, Gary Smoke, our Director of International Affairs, established relationships with leaders of several tribes in the Pacific Northwest.