As part of the celebrations for the Republic of China’s (ROC) centennial, the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and other government agencies subsidized Lanyu Township Office in building the biggest traditional canoe built in Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) in a century.
However, the new balangay, a traditional canoe, has encountered rough sailing even before hitting the water.
Some Tao Aborigines have complained that the building of the canoe and launch ceremonies did not follow tradition, and that the canoe’s owner was Han Chinese ethnicity.
Photo: Huang Ming-tang, Taipei Times
Complaints are also circulating on the Internet.
Some netizens have said material for the keel came from Taiwan proper instead of from trees on Orchid Island as tradition dictates, and that electrical tools were used in the building process, contradicting the ministry’s promotional materials, which state: “The old men work with the axes they’re used to, and every cut symbolizes the beginning of a new history.”
Some Tao critics said the building of the canoe was an exercise in “cultural bullying,” exploitative and offensive because the canoe will be sold through an auction after it has been rowed to Taipei.
The registered owner of the canoe, Huang Cheng-teh (黃正德), yesterday said he had not wanted to be listed as the owner, but the Tao did not want their names put down because the canoe broke a Tao taboo that balangay should not have more than five pairs of oars, so the construction team decided to use his name.
The 11m long, 2.8m high decorated canoe has nine pairs of oars.
However, Huang, who is secretary of the Lanyu Township Office, defended the decision to auction the canoe, saying that it was government property, not the product of tradition.
He said the auction would benefit the Tao because the auction proceeds would go to Lanyu’s cultural education foundation, which would include funds to help the Tao build another balangay the traditional way.
The event will be beneficial to Lanyu culture, Huang said, adding that he hoped everyone involved could take a tolerant view of things.
However, the secretary of the Tao Foundation, Hsiao Yu-shuang (蕭玉霜), said construction of the canoe had repeatedly violated Tao traditions and their taboos.
For example, traditional taboos ban the building of boats between March and June, but the canoe was constructed during this period, causing many Tao Aborigines to feel ill at ease, Hsiao said.
Although the new balangay is the largest ever built, the fact that it was built in breach of many taboos has caused rifts among Tao tribe members, he said.
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