Cultural workers on Orchid Island off the coast of southeastern Taiwan on Wednesday gave tourists tips to celebrate the island’s flying fish season in a way that respects the customs of the Indigenous Tao people.

Maraos, CEO of Lan An Cultural and Education Foundation, a local organization dedicated to promoting Indigenous culture, told CNA that residents welcomed visitors during the February-May festival, but worried that there could be conflicts between local communities and visitors.

It is hoped that tourists can obtain a basic understanding about the lifestyles of local Tao people before visiting the island for the flying fish season, which celebrates local traditions and nature, he said.

There are multiple taboos that tourists should avoid, such as touching and taking pictures of fishing boats and entering local people’s houses without permission– which are believed to bring bad luck to fishermen.

Some of the pavilions on the island are private and not for tourists’ use, he said, suggesting that tourists can ask locals to translate for the older Tao as most of them do not speak Mandarin.

According to another association studying Catholic development and cultures on Orchid Island, tourists must pay attention not to walk under where local residents hang and dry their flying fish.

Visitors should also avoid giving oranges as gifts and should not discuss fishing trips with fishermen before they set out to sea.

To protect local people’s lifestyles, the Coast Guard Administration also launched a five-month project on Wednesday near the island to implement stricter fishing rules, including prohibiting power-driven fishing boats from catching flying fish within three nautical miles of Orchid Island’s coastline.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel