This pottery model of a boatman on his boat was made by the Yami people. The Yami people, also known as Tao are one of the Aboriginal communities who live on a small island, called the Orchid Island southeast of Taiwanese mainland. For subsistence, they rely heavily on the resources of the ocean and fishing forms one of their main occupations. Boat-building skills have been developed to an art form by the Yami people. It is considered a sacred activity and owning a boat means that they also own the ocean.The Taiwanese Aborigines, of which there are nine main groups, are descendants of the true first Austronesians. Many elements of their material cultures have similarities seen in other Austronesian cultures that exist today in many areas of Southeast Asia.
