Education and Activities

The Taitung Austronesian Outrigger Canoe Sailing Association is dedicated to reviving ocean culture and raising public awareness of Taiwan’s status as the homeland of the Austronesian peoples. Through the practice of outrigger canoeing—an activity deeply rooted in the traditions of Pacific Austronesian communities—Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples are reconnecting with their cultural origins. By participating in international competitions, promoting cultural education exchanges, and cultivating local engagement, outrigger canoeing has become a vital bridge linking Taiwan with global Austronesian culture. It allows the world to recognize Taiwan’s central role in Austronesian history and successfully transforms the understanding of “Taiwan as the homeland of Austronesian peoples” from academic research into lived practice.

The Association, based at Taitung’s Living Water Lake, has established the first outrigger canoe training center in eastern Taiwan, training more than 50 participants each month. This initiative transforms ocean culture from competitive sport into everyday life practice. Regular events such as the Christmas Cup Friendship Race and the Green Island Crossing Challenge attract participation from tribes including Dalumak, Zhiben, Luye, and Dulan, forming a cross-tribal network of ocean cultural exchange.

Furthermore, the Association has collaborated with Junyi Experimental High School to launch the “Introduction to Outrigger Canoe” course, integrating ocean culture education into the school system. Through a boatbuilding program that spans from forest to ocean, students experience the full cultural process—from material selection and construction to navigation—gaining an understanding of the ancestral wisdom of “one tree becomes one boat.” This is not only a transmission of technical skills but also a reconstruction of cultural identity.

The Teach for Taiwan Education Foundation (TFT), established in 2013, is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing “educational inequality,” with the vision of creating equal educational opportunities for every child. Through training outstanding young people to serve in rural areas and “high-need regions” where the percentage of junior high school students failing to meet basic academic standards is high, TFT requires participants to teach for at least two years. This helps resolve the long-standing challenges faced by rural elementary schools in recruiting and retaining teachers. Currently, TFT’s coverage includes Miaoli, Hualien, Nantou, Yunlin, Changhua, Chiayi, Tainan, and Pingtung.

Since the first TFT program, TFT has trained more than 290 teachers, impacting over 7,000 children. Nearly 70% of students have achieved the basic academic proficiency required for their grade level. Beyond academic achievement, the quality teaching environment and instruction provided by TFT fellows have also enabled nearly 70% of students to develop strong non-cognitive skills (such as self-management and efficacy, perseverance, and emotional regulation). These abilities empower children to create change for their future in dimensions beyond academic performance.