Lanyu ~ Culture

For centuries the Yami people have derived their sustenance from the sea. With nets, oars, and hand crafted canoes, they venture out in search of flying fish which will subsequently be dried and consumed throughout the year.










Outsiders are treated with much suspicion on Orchid Island. Historically, as in many colonial and exploratory endeavors, the Yami have wound up on the short end of dealings. As Taiwan has changed hands frequently in the past centuries, so possesion of Lanyu has shifted. But as a six-hour boat ride rendered Lanyu virtually isolated until recent years, the island people had no good reason to consider themselves part of Taiwan, Formosa, or any other occupying nation. Now planes and boats make the trip frequently and the Taiwanese utilize Lanyu for recreational diving trips as well as a controversial storage site for radioactive materials.

Life on the island is largely transparent. While younger people own homes, many of the elders still sleep in wind-houses; open-aired huts that allow the cool ocean breeze to penetrate. Consequently I am met with stares, scowls, or piercing disregard as I walk the streets. I try to tread softly. As I travel, I am almost literally walking through a Yami bedroom.