National Taiwan Ocean University Center of Media, Public Relations and Publishing

A group of soon-to-be juniors from National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), who have just spent a year immersed in life on Matsu Island, returned to the Matsu campus on August 12th. Seizing the opportunity of the summer break, they continued their collaborative effort to complete the final "skinning" phase of the canoe they began constructing with local junior high and elementary school students back in May. The finished canoe set sail on the 13th, successfully cruising toward the Bridge Village. Combining the art of canoe crafting with activities focused on recycling marine waste, these NTOU students left behind indelible oceanic memories in Matsu.

In May of this year, NTOU organized a workshop on marine education and artistic collaboration. Under the guidance of Teacher Da Mu (Wen Zhi-rong), NTOU students learned and led students from Chung-Shan Junior High School and Tang Chi Elementary School in harnessing the unique island essence of Matsu to create installation art that embodies the spirit of the region while promoting marine education. The collaborative canoe they crafted marked the first appearance of a skinned canoe in the North Island region of Matsu. These fervent NTOU students made history in the Matsu canoeing scene, realizing their maritime dreams by sailing in canoes they had personally constructed.

This event was graced by the presence of Teacher, Mr. Wen Zhi-Rong(溫志榮)(also called Teacher Da Mu(大沐老師)), who had previously achieved the remarkable feat of circumnavigating Taiwan in a self-made skinned canoe and is the founder of "DaMu Wen HandMake Work Studio." As a master figure in Taiwan's handmade canoeing community, Wen's studio is adorned with oars that stand taller than people, and canoes fill the ceiling. In recent years, he has traveled across various counties and cities in Taiwan, guiding students in canoe building, with Matsu being the final piece of his island puzzle.

NTOU Students Build the First Skinned Canoe on Beigan Island Under the Guidance of Mr. Wen

"Thanks to the heavens, we have successfully completed this boat. Now, we are ready to set sail, praying for a safe and smooth voyage! Thanks to the heavens, thanks to the sea!" Teacher Da Mu led the students in a declaration. On the morning of the 13th, the only three handmade canoes in all of Matsu were transported from the NTOU campus in Qibei to the Bridge Village, where the students who constructed them embarked on a journey of acceptance. Before embarking on this voyage, they also conducted a bottle-throwing ceremony, still under the guidance of Teacher Da Mu. The bottle-throwing tradition harks back to a time when navigation technology was rudimentary, and there were concerns about shipwrecks. People would write messages on paper and place them in bottles, casting them into the sea in the hope that their families would receive them. Throwing the bottle symbolizes breaking the bottle and praying that there are no more messages in bottles, signifying the safe return of the ship and seeking a smooth journey.

The three canoes created in this project will be showcased at the 2023 Big Island Dark Sky Night and subsequently gifted to Chung-Shan Junior High School and Tang Chi Elementary School, the schools that collaborated in their construction. It is hoped that this canoe-building endeavor will leave a lasting mark and serve as a cherished memory of their time on this island. Beyond introducing more travelers to NTOU's Matsu campus, it also serves as a shared memory for future NTOU students when they return to their alma mater.