Historic 300-Year Voyage: Taiwan's Tao People Retrace Ancestral Sea Route to Philippines' Batanes

⁨Article by F. Palafox

Published on June 16, 2026 10:30AM

In a momentous journey that bridges centuries of separation, 60 Indigenous paddlers from Taiwan's Tao people set sail Monday on a traditional wooden longboat, retracing an ancestral maritime route to the Philippines' Batanes Islands for the first time in 300 years. ¹ ²

The "First Return Voyage"

The expedition, dubbed the "First Return Voyage in 300 Years," carries the Ovayan (also called the "Golden Friendship"), a 12-meter traditional Tao plank boat known as “tatala” or “ipanitika”. ¹ ³ Built entirely without nails and completed in March 2026, the intricately carved and hand-painted vessel represents the pinnacle of traditional Tao maritime craftsmanship. ¹

The crew, comprising 60 Indigenous paddlers who will rotate in relays, faces a grueling 100-nautical-mile (185-kilometer) crossing across the Bashi Channel. ¹ ³ The voyage is expected to take approximately two days and one night, with paddlers navigating through the powerful Kuroshio Current—one of the world's strongest ocean currents. ³

Cultural Connection Across the Pacific

The Tao people, native to Orchid Island (also known as Lanyu), a tiny 45-square-kilometer island 90 kilometers off Taiwan's southeast coast, share profound cultural, linguistic, and historic ties with the Philippines' Batanes Islands and its Ivatan communities. ¹ ⁴ According to the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation (IPCF), the two (2) groups' languages remain more than 80 percent mutually intelligible. ¹

"I've always wanted to visit the place where my ancestors once went and see what it's like there," said oarsman ”Wu Hsi-lung”, a 26-year-old stand-up paddleboarding coach who joined the expedition. ⁴ "I feel that I carry the blood of this place and want to do something for my community."

A Three-Year Preparation

The monumental project took three years to prepare, combining traditional navigation knowledge with modern maritime technology. The Ovayan heads a fleet of seven support ships providing escort and logistical safety, led by the zero-carbon vessel ”Porrima P111”. ¹

”Syaman Maraos”, the trip's organizer and chairman of the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation, explained the voyage's deeper purpose, "The crossing symbolizes shared heritage between the two communities". ¹ He hopes the endeavor will "help foster more exchanges with other peoples and countries across the Pacific, allowing us to continue and strengthen this cultural journey". ⁴

What Happens Upon Arrival

When the Tao crew reaches “Mahatao Port” in the Batanes Islands on Tuesday afternoon, the two communities will hold a welcoming port ceremony featuring song exchanges and cultural sharing activities ¹ ⁵. The Ovayan boat will be put on display at its destination as a symbol of this historic reunion. ⁴ Maraos expressed hope that Ivatan islanders from Batanes would be able to row the Golden Friendship back to Orchid Island next year, calling it "a major boost for maritime culture". ⁴

Families Gather to Witness History

Families and onlookers gathered Monday at the local port on Orchid Island to see off the seafarers, offering prayers and encouragement ¹ ⁵. Many descendants of early Tao seafarers "wanted to take part in this meaningful event," according to community member Hsiao. ⁵

The traditional ”tatala” seafaring boat was historically built to catch flying fish, a crucial food source for families and communities on Orchid Island ⁴. Today, this voyage transforms that utilitarian vessel into a symbol of cultural reconnection and Austronesian heritage preservation.

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Notes:

¹ Focus Taiwan (CNA), "Lanyu boat sets sail on historic journey to Philippines' Batanes," June 15, 2026

² The Manila Times, "Austronesian boat sets sail on epic voyage to Philippines," June 16, 2026

³ PinasPulse (Facebook), "First Return Voyage in 300 Years" expedition details, June 14, 2026

⁴ AFP, "Austronesian Tao people set sail on 300-year ancestral voyage," June 15, 2026

⁵ Malay Mail, "Austronesian Tao people set sail on 300-year ancestral voyage from Taiwan to the Philippines," June 15, 2026