Art has always been one of the oldest ways First Nations peoples have carried knowledge across generations. It holds language, culture, history and identity, connecting people long before borders were drawn.
In June, a delegation of First Nations arts leaders from the Northern Territory continued that tradition on an international stage, travelling to Taiwan to strengthen relationships between Indigenous peoples through culture, creativity and shared knowledge.
Led by Artback NT, the First Nations International Partnerships Bi-lateral Delegation travelled to Taiwan from 17 to 24 June as part of a two-way cultural exchange centred on Indigenous leadership, reciprocity and collaboration.
The delegation brought together representatives from some of the Northern Territory's leading Aboriginal arts organisations, including Michelle Bell, Chief Executive Officer of Artback NT; Tahlia Biggs, Tour Producer - Performing Arts at Artback NT; Marisa Maher, Artback NT Board member and Manager of Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre; Philip Watkins, Chief Executive Officer of Desart; Colin Puruntatameri, Treasurer of ANKA; and Nadine Lee, Founder of Birrimi Creations and Chairperson of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation.
Across seven days, delegates immersed themselves in the artistic practices of Taiwan's Indigenous communities, discovering the many ways culture continues to be shared, protected and strengthened through art.
Their journey began at the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park, an 80-hectare precinct dedicated to celebrating Taiwan's Indigenous peoples. Travelling through the park aboard buses featuring artwork by contemporary artist Reretan Pavavaljung, delegates participated in a traditional wooden xylophone workshop, watched a performance by the Naluwan Dance Troupe and explored how the park supports cultural maintenance, education and intergenerational knowledge sharing.
"It's such a spectacular setting dedicated to celebrating the Indigenous peoples of Taiwan, cultural maintenance and education," Artback NT Chief Executive Officer Michelle Bell said.
The delegation then travelled through Pingtung, Taitung and Hualien, meeting artists whose work demonstrated how ancient cultural practices continue to evolve through contemporary expression.
Highlights included visiting Lumamiling, renowned for preserving the traditional practice of paper mulberry bark cloth making, and spending time with multidisciplinary artist Etan Pavavalung and his partner Grace. Their meeting revealed an unexpected connection with Nadine Lee and Colin Puruntatameri through Etan's previous visits to Darwin and the Tiwi Islands, highlighting relationships that have quietly developed between Indigenous artists across the region over many years.
Delegates also visited artist Aruwai Kaumakan, whose large-scale textile sculptures are informed by her work alongside women in community, many displaced by natural disasters.
"Her studio emitted so much warmth and love. It was a really special visit," Bell said.
The exchange continued at the Paiwan Three Treasures Craft Gallery, where founder Umass Zingrur's legacy lives on through his wife Jiang Ya-Lei, who continues preserving and teaching the traditional knowledge of Paiwan glass beads, ceramic pots and bronze knives.
In Taitung, delegates met internationally recognised installation artist Eleng Luluan, whose works combine driftwood, natural fibres and found objects to tell stories of Country, memory, displacement and return.
The delegation also spent time with Bulareyaung Dance Company, where dancers performed entirely without recorded music, singing every song themselves.
"This was incredible and moved us all, some of us to tears," Artback NT Tour Producer Tahlia Biggs said.
That evening, the group attended the Moonlight Sea Concert, where music, dance, visual arts and local artisans came together beside the ocean in a celebration of Indigenous culture.
In Hualien County, delegates met Nakaw Putun before touring an exhibition and receiving handcrafted necklaces featuring clay made by Elders and etched by younger artists, symbolising the passing of knowledge between generations. Their final artist visit was with fibre artists Chen Shu Yen and Tuwak Tuyaw of Guang Zhi Wu, whose bamboo, rattan and fibre works blend traditional techniques with contemporary design while remaining grounded in local materials and cultural knowledge.
Before returning home, the delegation travelled to Taipei where they visited the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines before meeting Deputy Representative Dan Stuart at the Office of Australia (Taipei). Over lamingtons, they reflected on how the exchange had strengthened cultural and Indigenous connections, fostered knowledge sharing and opened new opportunities between the Northern Territory and Taiwan. The delegation also participated in interviews with Taiwan Indigenous Television (TITV) and recorded promotional jingles highlighting the partnership.
Throughout the exchange, delegates explored opportunities extending well beyond cultural diplomacy. The relationships built during the visit laid the groundwork for future artist residencies, touring opportunities, collaborative projects and stronger international markets for First Nations artists and art centres.
As global demand for authentic First Nations art continues to grow, partnerships like these also create opportunities for ethical cultural exports that remain community-led, culturally governed and economically beneficial, supporting Indigenous artists to share their stories with the world on their own terms.
Supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's First Nations International Fellowships and Partnerships Grant Program, alongside funding from the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center, Council of Indigenous Peoples, the exchange demonstrated the power of Indigenous-led international partnerships. The Northern Territory Government also committed funding through its Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Arts Grants program to support the Taiwan Artists Exchange program from 2026 to 2028.
The delegation reinforced that First Nations art is a living knowledge system, a vehicle for cultural diplomacy and an economic pathway that strengthens communities. By sharing stories, techniques and traditions across oceans, Indigenous artists from the Northern Territory and Taiwan forged relationships that will continue creating cultural, social and economic opportunities for generations to come.
