The Unsinkable Ship

The salty sea air rolling over the lapping waves pushes the vessel through the different ports and storms of its history and further into the uncharted water of the future. This icon of a seafaring ship metaphorically represents the Island of Taiwan and the creation and survival of its unique culture as it has sailed through the different storms of colonization, oppression and war of its history. Just as a storm leaves scares on a ship, Taiwan's turbulent history has left marks on the Taiwanese culture. Along with the marks from its storms, the peaceful times of Taiwan's history have brought major developments in infrastructure, modernization and an intermingling of different cultures just as a ship docked at a foreign port brings new items and influences on board. Though these times of Taiwan's past has defined its culture, Taiwan never remained at a port indefinitely or sank under the weight of a storm but continued sailing towards its future. Truly living up to its wartime reputation as the unsinkable ship proven not only militarily, but also as a unique and enduring culture.

The first known people group to settle in Taiwan and crew the island's maiden voyage were the Taiwanese aborigines. Scholars dispute among themselves of how these people arrived on the island and where they originated, but some believe "there have been human settlements in Taiwan since at least fifteen thousand years ago" (Stainton 29). Though it seems these different tribes have roots to the "Austronesian peoples," during this long expanse of time many varied and different "cultures and physical attributes" have developed (Stainton 28). It is unclear whether this individual traits formed on the island or were brought over as different tribes...

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...an began to arise the Taiwanese people are now finally able to elect their captain and hopefully have a say in the direction their ship will sail.

The ship of Taiwan has sailed through turbulent seas and foreign ports and remained afloat allowing the identity of the ship and its crew to be defined and shaped by these external forces. Now as the ship sails under the new captain of democracy the crew must face the present day storm of if it will sail on its own or join the armada of the mainland and it is in the hands of foreign powers to allow this decision to be made through democracy and diplomacy rather than from the barrel of a gun. Regardless of the possible futures, Taiwan has and will remain a distinct and unique culture defined by the numerous ports of its history, the scars of many storms and the Taiwanese people's unsinkable nature and will to sail on.