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A Single Oral Memory Brings Rafts Back to the Sea: Commemorating Elder Atimol

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • An Amis elder's oral memory of a traditional sail-equipped raft inspired a cultural revival project.
  • The project successfully reconstructed and sailed traditional Amis rafts, bridging ancient knowledge with modern practice.
  • This initiative transformed a forgotten oral tradition into a living cultural practice, allowing ancestral seafaring to be experienced again.

An Amis elder's recollection of a traditional raft with a sail, known as 'fayan,' sparked a significant cultural revival. Elder Atimol (Chen Wenzhong) shared this oral memory, which suggested that Amis rafts were once equipped with sails, a detail previously unobserved.

This memory provided a potential clue for archaeologists like Professor Liu Yichang, who theorized that the Dulan Bay area was a crucial cultural hub for Austronesian migration thousands of years ago. The idea of sail-equipped rafts offered a possible explanation for ancient coastal and cross-sea navigation.

For me, he was also someone who made a dormant culture visible again.

— Liu JingsiThe author reflects on Elder Atimol's impact on cultural visibility.

The project to reconstruct these rafts began on the elder's farmland, leading to the creation of a simple boat shed. At 78 years old, Elder Atimol actively participated in every stage, from selecting bamboo to binding and construction, sharing traditional knowledge throughout. His involvement underscored the commitment to using traditional materials and respecting ancestral craftsmanship.

If we want to understand our ancestors' seafaring culture, we should use traditional materials as much as possible and respect their original craftsmanship and aesthetics.

— Liu JingsiThe author explains the guiding principle behind the raft reconstruction project.

Despite numerous challenges in material selection, binding techniques, and sail design, the first raft, named 'Farangaw' (the Amis name for Taitung City's Malan community), was completed. This marked a significant starting point for the revival of sail-equipped rafts. Since then, the team has conducted sea trials, successfully navigated the Kuroshio Current, and made round trips to Green Island, completing five more rafts and continuously improving their design and sailing techniques.

Elder Atimol's contribution was pivotal, transforming a nearly forgotten oral memory into a tangible practice. His influence allowed the culture to move beyond museum exhibits and become a living, breathing force, once again sailing with the sea breeze.

If academic research provides the direction for exploration, then Elder Atimol is the one who ignited this cultural journey.

— Liu JingsiThe author highlights Elder Atimol's role in initiating the cultural project.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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