Taitung, Taiwan
Aug 13, 2026
The Taiwan Museum of Prehistory has a section on Austronesian migration with a large map showing the swathe of these journeys over hundreds and thousands of years.
Somewhat child-centric, a few audio-visual displays traces the similarities in origin stories and how some foods like rice and sweet potatoes traveled the ocean waves to reach non-native shores. A couple of displays showcases similarities in hunting and farming implements in locales as scattered as Indonesia, Tonga, Easter Islands, Vanuatu, Hawai and Solomon Islands. This is fascinating but the display is small leaving me wanting.
Yet another point of similarity are the central poles and figures of protective deities traditionally used in each of these far-flung communities.
I think again of that exhibit on Oceanic art I saw at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Methinks I’ll have to make an addendum to this story but that’ll have to wait until I get home. For now, the obvious next step is the island of Lanyu or Orchid Island. It is the province of the Tao or Dawu (who were previously called the Yami). Relatively isolated from the mainland, they have retained the strongest identity of any of the tribes.
The Tao are seafaring people who have boats that are works of art. I gazed at the boat on display outside the Taitung train station and marveled at the eye-catching designs. The color palette is the exact same as the shields and artwork I had seen in the longhouses of Borneo in Kalimantan, Indonesia many years ago. I have one hanging on my wall at home, brought back from there. This is the same white background, the same vibrant black and red, and many of the same patterns. I am slack-jawed with amazement. And then I learned that the Tao language is closer to that of the Philippines that it is to any of the other tribal languages of Taiwan. The link stares me in the face. I have to go there!
But Mother Nature seems to have other plans. Typhoon Dolphin was supposed to strike and all ferry and air services to Lanyu were cancelled. I waited a day which turned to two and then three. Dolphin had veered off and struck the east coast of China instead. But the seas are still choppy and the Taiwanese government has deemed it wise to keep the services closed. I reluctantly give up on Lanyu at least on this trip. Despite knowing it is safer, being thankful does not feature prominently in my current thoughts.
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 