Taiwan's First Austronesian Art Triennial Explores Indigenous Roots and Global Diaspora

The inaugural Taiwan International Austronesian Art Triennial, titled RamiS, opened at the Indigenous People Culture Park in Pingtung on October 17. Curated by Nakaw Putun and Etan Pavavalung, the exhibition presents two thematic sections: 'Becoming Spiritual' examines reconnection with ancestral knowledge to address global crises, while 'Why We are Us' focuses on Austronesian philosophies of collectivity and environmental stewardship. The late Amis artist Lafin Sawmah's work Building a Canoe, featuring carved wooden heads and a video collaboration with Hawaiian shipbuilder Uncle K, highlights revived maritime traditions and diasporic knowledge exchange. Dondon Houmwm's installation BBRBAR-2.0 (2018–23) uses plastic strips and projections to question Indigenous land rights and mobility in Taiwan. Atayal artist Ciwas Tahos explores queer Indigenous identities through digital video, imagining the mythological site Temahahoi as a sanctuary. Sudipau Tjaruzaljum's portrait series A Voice (2023) employs shell-ginger crafting techniques to overlay family images and museological waxworks, asserting agency over Indigenous representation. The triennial runs through February 18, positioning Taiwan as a historical hub in Austronesian global networks amid ongoing discussions about Indigenous sovereignty following President Tsai Ing-Wen's 2016 apology.