Today we tell the story of Nanfang’ao Mosque and the people who worked hard to create it. Nanfang’ao is an Yilan fishing community with many migrant fishermen from Indonesia. But several years ago, there was no mosque in the entire county of Yilan. That was until a group of fishermen came together to create a peaceful space to pray. After years of hard work, and with the help of a local business owner and an interpreter, they made their dreams a reality.
An alleyway off Lixing Street in Nanfang’ao. The call to prayer rings out.
This is the first mosque in the Yilan area where Muslim fishermen can be supported in their prayers. The story began back in 2017.
Seven or eight fishermen from Indonesia set up Forum Komunikasi Pelaut Indonesia Taiwan, or the Taiwan Indonesian Mariners’ Organization. They shared their wish to set up a mosque with Chang Hsuan-min, the owner of a local coin launderette.
Chang Hsuan-min
Coin launderette owner
I think what he said to me was, “Here you give them a place where they can pray, where they can calm their hearts and emotions, and they can find the motivation to keep on working hard.”
At first, the group rented an apartment where they set up a simple mosque space. But soon the landlord wanted to use the apartment for another purpose. So they decided to pool resources and bought an apartment of their own to make a permanent mosque. But local government couldn’t find an appropriate law to legislate the space. And then Chang was diagnosed with cancer and needed chemotherapy. Things looked bleak, but then another figure stepped in.
That person was Kasinah, an Indonesian immigrant who lives with her husband in Yilan’s Zhuangwei Township. She grows cantaloupes and works as an interpreter for the county government. During an interpreting job, she met some fishermen from Nanfang’ao and heard about their attempts to create a mosque.
Kasinah
Indonesian farmer and interpreter
I took this action plan to Taipei Grand Mosque, and told them, these migrant workers have saved some money and they really want to establish a mosque. And they came back right away and said, “OK, the Chinese Muslim Association will pay for everything.”
The Nanfang’ao Mosque was born in 2019. This steady home for Muslims in Yilan provides a place where migrant workers can pray, relax, and find peace, making it one of the town’s most precious amenities.
This story was provided by the program "We Are Family"
Funded by New Immigrant Development Fund
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