Members of Taiwan's indigenous Tao community rowed a traditional wooden canoe from Orchid Island to the Batanes Islands in the northern Philippines last month.

The voyage represents the revival of a cultural link that had been dormant for centuries. By crossing the Bashi Channel, the community sought to reconnect with their historic Ivatan counterparts and reclaim a shared maritime identity.

The crew, consisting of about 60 sailors and Tao elders [1], departed from Orchid Island, also known as Lanyu, on June 16, 2026 [4]. They traveled aboard the “Ovayan – Golden Friendship,” a vessel designed to honor ancestral navigation methods. The team covered 100 nautical miles, or approximately 185 kilometres [2], arriving at the Batanes Islands two days later on June 18, 2026 [3, 5].

“We are honoring our ancestors by sailing this route again,” Awiang, a Tao elder and cultural spokesperson, said.

The expedition was viewed as a bridge between the two island groups. Taiwan’s Minister of Culture, Lee Mei‑hua, said the Ovayan symbolizes friendship and the enduring bond between the islands.

Historians noted that the journey serves as physical evidence of the deep ancestral ties linking the region's indigenous populations. “This voyage shows that the peoples of Taiwan and the Philippines share a common maritime heritage,” Dr. Maria Santos, a historian at the University of the Philippines, said.

The use of a traditional canoe rather than a modern motorized vessel was central to the mission's purpose, emphasizing the skill and endurance of the Tao people's ancestors who once navigated these waters regularly.

““We are honoring our ancestors by sailing this route again,” Awiang said.”

This voyage transcends a simple nautical feat by asserting the historical and cultural continuity of the Austronesian expansion. By physically retracing a dormant route, the Tao community is challenging modern geopolitical borders with ancestral geography, strengthening the social and diplomatic ties between indigenous groups in Taiwan and the Philippines.