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Canoes at the Tribal Canoe Journey

Canoes at the Tribal Canoe Journeys, one of the most important annual cultural events of the Indigenous world.

2023 Tribal Canoe Journeys

IBYAP representatives being introduced at the 2023 Tribal Canoe Journeys.


IBYAP logo

In recent years, the ATAYAL Organization has been focused on the development of its Indigenous Youth Ambassador Program (IBYAP). In 2023, with the pandemic and travel restrictions safely behind us, our IBYAP face-to-face exchanges and activities resumed with our international partners. View our 2023 Annual Report to see the information and photos of the achievements and acitivities of our organization in 2023. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

  • We hosted our first-ever live benefit music and cultural concert in Taipei.
  • We brought our youth ambassadors from Taiwan to join our Nisqually Canoe Family for cultural exchange at the 2023 Tribal Canoe Journeys, the largest annual Indigenous canoe-going cultural celebration.
  • We participated in a culture exchange with the University of Washington Burke Museum bringing living culture to enhance and honor the Indigenous museum artifacts from Taiwan.
  • We supported our partners to host two English-language Summer camps hosted for Indigenous children in Wulai District of New Taipei City, Taiwan.
  • We supported our partner in Hawaii (Kimokeo Foundation) with a donation to aid in the rebuilding efforts in Maui, Hawai'i after the wildfires.
  • We met with the Ambassadors of Austronesian nations to gather their support in the development of the Indigenous Youth Ambassador Program, while planning a joint Austronesian delegation to the future Tribal Canoe Journeys.

Latest News and Developments:

[View 2023 Annual Report | View More News | Calendar Of Events | View Blog]

Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Program

Interview with Hanford McCloud of the Nisqually Tribe discusses the importance of international Indigenous youth exchange

What if the Indigenous communities of the world were interconnected as they were before being separated and isolated by colonialization? What if they could cooperate to solve problems they share in common and build flourishing, sustainable communities? Indigenous tribes share a bond through their ancient culture and harmonious relationship to the land, water, and sky. Imagine if we could work together to solve the problems in our communities caused by the disconnection from society and the earth. What could this provide to our entire planet?

Our organization strives to do our part to realize this long-term vision through our Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Program (IBYAP). The next generation of Indigenous leaders are currently facing some of the toughest challenges imaginable, and they will be better prepared to understand the problems of their communities, identify opportunities available through cross-cultural cooperation, and develop solutions. The ATAYAL Organization provides a three-tiered approach to empowering and supporting the Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassadors (IBYAP):

  • Cultural Identity Reinforcement and Relationship Building
  • Transformational Training and Mentorship
  • Field Work in Regenerative Community Development Projects

Our organization's training programs and the community development projects we support are guided by principles of sustainable development learned from Indigenous knowledge-keepers and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

Our organization resumed face-to-face exchanges for our Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassadors in 2023 with the Tribal Canoe Journeys. Our work is only possible with your support. Please join us to build a legacy for future generations.

[Read more about the Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Program]

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Motivated By The Urgency Of The Need To Preserve Indigenous Culture And Wisdom

THE NEED: There are more than 300 million Indigenous people and more than 7,000 active languages in the world. As marginalized people, most Indigenous people are under threat of having their culture disappear forever. When an entire language and culture goes extinct, what is lost to humanity is immeasurable. How do we protect these rich, colorful languages and cultures? Academics can document language and culture, but only the Indigenous people can pass down their cultural legacy to future generations. In our modern, fast-evolving societies, there are external economic pressures and societal barriers that prevent the traditions and cultures from being passed down to younger generations. The traditional culture and wisdom that was once passed down from generation to generation is also in danger of disappearing. What will motivate parents and knowledge-keepers of Indigenous communities to pass down their traditions to the youth?

OUR SOLUTION: The ATAYAL Organization was founded in 2001 as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization for the purpose of sharing and preserving Indigenous culture. Since then, our organization's programs and activities with Indigenous communities have given us insight and experience to address the crisis of disappearing languages, culture, and wisdom. In order to address the barriers to the transfer of Indigenous Culture and Knowledge to the youth, we strive to connect Indigenous communities around the world in multiple ways. Our IBYAP Program provides a platform that culminates in sustainable development of their communities to ensure ongoing value and transfer of the traditional culture and knowledge.

MISSION STATEMENT: Transforming Lives + Revitalizing Communities: Bridging Connections of Indigenous Culture + Wisdom

[Read more about mission]

ATAYAL / Indigenous Bridges

PAST CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS

"Connecting Indigenous people face-to-face is powerful, as it creates new, unpredictable developments that positively impact communities for generations to come." --- Tony Coolidge, Founder and President

Tribal Canoe Journeys Indigenous Youth Exchange

Tribal Canoe Journeys Exchange

In 2017, 2018, 2019, a delegation of Taiwanese Indigenous people traveled to the USA to take part in the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys with the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. The Taiwanese delegation has been hosted by the Nisqually canoe family each year. Each year, a delegation of youth experiences the canoe culture and the hospitality of different host nations, and there are future plans for the Native Americans sending a group to Taiwan.

First Nations Involved: USA (Nisqually, Puyallup, Lummi and more), Taiwan (Atayal, Tao)

Tap Root Indigenous Youth Exchange

Tap Root Indigenous Youth Exchange

In 2013, our organization helped to create the first international cultural exchange project connecting Austronesian first nations. Maori media students from Auckland, New Zealand participated in several Indigenous exchange events, and learned more about Taiwan's Austronesian culture and history. They were hosted by several Universities, where they explored Indigenous media cooperation. This ambitious international cultural exchange project gave us the experience and results that would lead to the development of the Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Program.

First Nations Involved: New Zealand (Maori), Taiwan (Amis, Paiwan, Rukai, and more)

[More info on our current program]

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MEDIA DEVELOPMENT

Media production is one of the tools in our toolbox to support our program. One of the first media productions our organization supported was "Atayal Trail," produced by MeGa Production Studios in 2003. After partnering with Producers and Directors, Aaron Hosé and Chris Bremer, our organization supported the production of "Time and Music in a Disappearing World (2006)" and "Voices In The Clouds (2009)." The latter would end up being screened in film festivals in many countries around the world and winning several prestigious awards.

[More info on our media projects | More info on Voices In The Clouds | Visit our YouTube Channel]

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteers

ATAYAL is a non-profit organization that has been staffed and supported 100% by volunteers. There have been no paid positions and no paid fundraisers. We are thankful to have been able to attract dedicated volunteers who believe in the mission, and we owe our successes to them. We currently have volunteer opportunities available for our Indigenous Bridges Youth Ambassador Program. These positions include mentors, coordinators and translators. If you're looking for unique, meaningful opportunities to make a difference, please visit our VOLUNTEERS page and sign up.

[More info on volunteering]










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