Paper short abstract:

The Yami people of Orchid Island are stuck in a double-bind: the industry that brings them economic stability ravages to the island's ecosystems. Plastic waste has now become ubiquitous to Orchid Island's landscape. How are the islanders responding to this ecological transformation?

Paper long abstract:

Taiwan's attempt to integrate its indigenous population in state politics has also promoted their economic integration. The Yami people of Orchid Island - a small island located off the south-eastern tip of Taiwan - have been compelled to keep up with the state's modern economy. However, they now find themselves stuck in a double-bind: tourism has grown to become crucial to the island's economy, but is detrimental to its ecosystems. Tourists leave behind large quantities of waste after their holiday, polluting the landscape with plastic rubbish. On the other hand, islanders benefit from what the tourism industry brings to them financially. If they cease these economic activities, many will no longer be able to continue living a prosperous life on Orchid Island and would have to find better-paid work on the Taiwanese mainland. Nonetheless, some members of the community are trying to find creative ways to break out of this double-bind. Will they be sufficient to finally escape this dilemma?

In this panel, I will explore the transforming landscape and the Yami's changing relationship with nonhuman local species. I will also delve into the various ways that islanders perceive and respond to this dilemma. I will discuss my observations gathered during fieldwork on Orchid Island in June 2019.