00:00This giant whale has become a landmark in the seaside town of Chenggong.
00:12But look a little closer and you'll see it's actually made from discarded fishing nets.
00:18Every year tons of debris like this washes up along Taitung's shores.
00:23And instead of throwing it away, an Amis Collective is giving it a second life.
00:30Fishing nets are some of the toughest sea debris to deal with.
00:39First, you have to remove the impurities, and then the material is sorted, cleaned, shredded, and ground down.
00:49In the end, what was once waste becomes fiber.
00:53And in the hands of local artisans, it turns into crafts like these.
00:58Some of which carry the colors, patterns, and spirit of Amis culture.
01:05We hope that through this education, we can create a transformation.
01:10We can spread in different schools and different places,
01:14so that the children can be concerned and able to understand how to deal with it.
01:21Up the coast in Donghe, an indigenous Bunen artist takes a different approach to sea debris,
01:35by giving visitors a hands-on experience.
01:38It starts with a beach cleanup, a treasure hunt of sorts.
01:43We find things like bottle caps, bits of rope, fishing net floats, and even a toothbrush.
01:50We need to wash and sort our haul, so we bring it back to the studio,
01:54which doubles as a bakery that uses indigenous ingredients.
01:59To pass the beach.
02:04Now we need to combine the boats with the fishing boat as chelps and pirates.
02:10We use a transport between the boatswain and nerede of boats.
02:12We can apply the boat insane and develop the craftiness.
02:15To fund the work.
02:17We create this new business.
02:18We can't expect how it will become.
02:21So you need to learn how to do it, right?
02:24Yes.
02:25To come to Taitung, don't worry about how to do it.
02:28You just come here.
02:30You can抱 some uncertainty.
02:35These deep blue creations tied with plant-based pigments
02:39make the perfect souvenir from our trip to Taitung.
02:43For visitors, the experience is about more than just picking up trash.
02:47It's a chance to slow down, meet the people here,
02:50and see the coastline through their eyes.
02:53And for nearby residents, leading a tie-dye workshop
02:56offers a way to earn a little extra income
02:58while sharing an important message.
03:02When I saw the river, I was able to take it off.
03:05When I took it off, I made a painting.
03:07I could tell people,
03:09this river is so dirty,
03:11we will not be able to make it clean.
03:15It's better for people and the environment.
03:20Once the fabric is dyed, we hang it out to dry.
03:26And that's when the color really comes to life.
03:30The locals call it Taitung Blue.
03:33Wrapped in a giant leaf, it's ready to take home.
03:37Uvans Dandung Studio has found a way to put sea debris to good use,
03:42proving that in Taitung, even what's been thrown away
03:46can come back with purpose.
03:48Coming up in the fifth and final part of our series,
03:51we find out why Taitung is making a name for itself
03:54as a destination for digital nomads.
03:57Plus, we'll visit one of the most remote, independent bookstores in the country.
04:03Yixin Chen, Hank Xu, Peachy Zhuang, and Andrew Ryan for Taiwan Plus.
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