Ocean Affairs Council Promotes Maritime Culture with Hands-On Boatbuilding and Sailing Activities at Dapeng Bay

Isin Guanyuu Chen of the Taiwan TAMORAK Cultural and Educational Association leads participants on a maritime experience across Dapeng Bay.

Traditional Boatbuilding Meets Maritime Practice: Experiencing Seafaring Wisdom on the Water

The Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) held a maritime cultural exchange and experiential event in the waters of Dapeng Bay, Pingtung, on Oct. 17–18, bringing together the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST) and the Taiwan TAMORAK Cultural and Educational Association (台灣 TAMORAK 文教協會) for their first cross-sector collaboration. Through boatbuilding demonstrations and sailing experiences, the event introduced participants to traditional boatbuilding techniques and maritime heritage, turning specialized engineering knowledge into accessible, hands-on activities.

Under the 2026 Maritime Culture Navigation Project (海洋文化領航計畫), NKUST organized boatbuilding and sailboat maintenance workshops to demonstrate the relationship between construction techniques and maritime conditions. Meanwhile, the Taiwan TAMORAK Cultural and Educational Association collaborated with the Wind Voyagers of Changbin (WVOC／長濱船團) to organize the Wind Voyagers' Fest (長濱航海節), integrating local art with sailing practices and community life. Together, the initiatives connected traditional craftsmanship with practical seafaring experiences, highlighting the cultural significance of the relationship between people and the ocean.

Associate Professor Jr-Ping Wang of the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering of NKUST guides participants in experiencing a traditional sampan.

Participants enjoy the experience of sailing aboard a sailboat.

From Building a Boat to Sailing One: Enthusiastic Public Participation

Participants experienced both traditional rowing sampans and Western-style wooden sailboats. NKUST Associate Professor Jr-Ping Wang (王治平) demonstrated small sampan (舢舨) construction techniques on the beach, allowing participants to handle the wood and learn about boat structures. WVOC leader Isin Guanyuu Chen (陳冠宇) then guided participants aboard the vessels to practice rowing and sailing. The event attracted families and young students, with one participant from Kaohsiung saying the experience deepened their understanding of the connection between people and the sea and expressing hope for more opportunities to engage with the ocean.

Connecting Community Initiatives: Bringing Ocean Culture into Everyday Life

A key outcome was the grassroots collaboration between the Taiwan TAMORAK Cultural and Educational Association and the WVOC, both experienced in long-distance voyages aboard non-motorized sailing vessels, and NKUST's academic team in southern Taiwan. By combining expertise in naval architecture and practical sailing, the groups established a cross-regional network for community-led maritime collaboration.

The OAC said the event demonstrated how cooperation between academic institutions and community groups can encourage broader public participation in maritime culture. The council will continue serving as a platform for cross-sector collaboration, helping bring research and technical expertise into communities, homes and recreational activities, making the ocean more accessible to people of all ages.

The newly built sampan from NKUST successfully completes its maiden voyage.

Reference:
Tamorak is Taiwan's first Amis-language (阿美族語) co-learning school, located in Fengbin Township, Hualien County. It comprises an elementary school division and a kindergarten. Founded by a group of parents in 2015, the organization was formally registered as the "Taiwan TAMORAK Cultural and Educational Association" in 2018 and became a tribal childcare and education center in 2021.
The name "Tamorak" comes from the Amis word for "pumpkin." It reflects the hope that Taiwan's diverse and beautiful ethnic cultures will flourish like pumpkins, with lush foliage, beautiful blossoms, and abundant, sweet fruit.
https://www.tamorak.org.tw/about

Source: OAC
Compilation & Ttranslation: EnergyOMNI