Located along the coastline where Taiwan’s Provincial Highway 11 passes by, the Gangkuo tribe is witnessing art blossoming everywhere. In the ’90s, Rahic Talif led a group of youths from the tribe to open a new path of modern art based on driftwood, after which an artistic momentum was awakened for the tribe. With the tribal youths returning home, creative work on driftwood, stones and umbrella sedge gradually thrived and flourished. Wandering between art and commerce, the harbor tribe is unlike other traditional aborigine tourism areas that sell their traditional totem art and woven cloths. Creative pieces of work on large driftwood are scattered in the art workshop by the beach where they make their living through creativity. Being around tidal waves, reefs, fishing nets and driftwood, they firmly describe and assert their own thoughts and feelings about living and life.
The awakened self-consciousness and cultural identity lead the energetic tribal people on the track to restoring the lost coastal rice fields while dances, ancient tunes and music concerts are held irregularly at performance spaces and art workshops in every city. The youths returning home from the cities start to get in touch with the beach by the harbor. “The sea is my fridge!” is an often-heard saying by these youths. “I am going to the fridge to get a lobster and we’re going to cook lobster congee for our breakfast.”
Umbrella Sedge
The mats made from the weaving of umbrella plant is a daily ordinary craft rooted in the local culture, and the rapid growing characteristic of the grass is one of the reasons enable it to become popular. In recent years, Sumi and her fellow had developed new possibilities from the traditional craft. They separated the skin of the stem from the inner fibers, which makes the new mats more delicate and avoid the mildew problems.Driftwood
After several months of drying in shade, the driftwood that are brought from the summer typhoons becomes the rich creations of the Gangkuo tribe. Led by the well-known artist Rahic, the local young people begin to rethink and reflect their culture through the art creations of driftwood. A unique scene of the Gangkuo tribe is forming as the driftwood start to scattered in between houses, fields, and waves.> next page
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