The surf divisions (longboard, shortboard, bodyboard) had A, B, and C levels. Everyone got to go surfing. Kathy Tang and Alicia Wang from Taipei even got me out there, despite the enthusiastic crowd of beginners filling the line-up at the edge of the contest area. They had the ability to make the session fun with their infectious laughter and enthusiasm.
Then again, everyone was having fun. Kids ran around digging in the sand and dragging foam boards into and out of the water. Families joked and ate under the tents. People chewed beetle nut endlessly, and Taiwan Beer was shared around. A DJ blasted out music. The whole scene was a family fun fair on the beach. It was obvious that the event is something the Taiwanese surfing community looks forward to all year, especially the grommets. Rory didn’t surf until late on the first day, in the under 16s. He’s 11 years old. He sat wide on the half moon bank and picked off the runners as the others struggled to make it past the inside sections. It was a smart game plan. His size was also a benefit. The waves were head-high for him. He made it through to the finals, came first in the under 16s.
I followed Rory’s progress closely. His mother and father, Amy and Neil, own the place I stay at, Red Garden. Rory and Amy are from one of the twelve indigenous tribes of Taiwan, the Paiwan. Traditionally a mountain people, Rory has followed the rivers into the ocean. The Paiwan culture is rebuilding after years of colonization. It’s a proud moment when one of their own achieves like Rory is. He had a vocal fan-base over the three days.
The Amis and Bunun tribes were also well-represented at the event. Jennifer Yang, who runs the Taitung Surf Shop and Hostel, had scraped together some money and brought the ‘Taitung Surf Crew’ south. Jennifer runs a program that helps aboriginal young people access surfboards, and provides a supportive place to hang out. Aboriginal communities in Taiwan have problems, such as alcoholism and unemployment. These are problems borne of colonization. Being Amis herself Jennifer knows how tough it can be growing up in these communities but she also knows the strength of them. So the young people come and surf, after they do their schoolwork. The emphasis is on schoolwork and learning about their history, traditions and music.
Surfing is becoming a welcome part of their culture now.
The strong indigenous presence at the event served to remind me of how many indigenous peoples so generously share their waves with us, those from Hawai’i, Tahiti, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Peru, Indonesia, Japan, and so on. This got me to thinking about how when we surf we are often venturing into waters with long cultures and histories. It’s important to pause and pay our respects to these peoples, it’s the least we can do. When we surf a place and even come to call it home, we enter into a relationship with original peoples and their culture. Sometimes we ignore that relationship and in doing so deny their stories and histories. Surfing is richer if we don’t. There’s a lot to learn and share.
I made sure I personally thanked the Paiwan, Bundun, and Amis. A board is on the way to the Taitung Surf Crew. Overall, I was stoked on the Jailesheui International Surfing Competition. The legacy of such events stands in stark contrast to those run by the big surfing companies (exhibit A: see the Rip Curl Search and its legacy at Barra De La Cruz). While I am not normally into competition, I got to see how an event like this can actually contribute to a surfing community, and with careful planning even enable young indigenous surfers to find ways to reconnect with their cultures and take on the future. As the Amis saying goes:
Yahiyan-hiyan hohiyan hoiyohin hoyan, hoian-iyan hoiohin hoyan. Yanay iyohin! Yanay iyhin Hiyohin! (How about coming along with us to the seashore? Come on! Let’s enjoy ourselves there)
I paid for everything during my visit. I just happened to be around at the time of the competition. Although, I did get a free dinner at the competition party along with everyone else who came along.
