Qadjai is a Paiwan word, meaning "connecting lines."

“Lines” symbolise connection and symbiosis for Indigenous peoples in Taiwan and beyond. From the interweaving of fabric to the intricate web of everyday life, lines are the foundation of cultural memory, time, and relationships. 

Paiwan elders often say: na maqaqadjaqadjai a kinateveteveljan nua qinaljan (our community is bound together as a body). In this idiom, qadjai refers to the thread that links. The word symbolises the support, learning, and co-dependence network within the community. Qinaljan (community) refers to the coexisting family, village, society or group where people support and learn from one another. Regardless of time and age, the Paiwan worldview is rooted in the idea of 'connecting lines'. 

Under the theme of Qadjai / connecting lines, this Pacific Rim Art Cross-Border Project seeks to connect artistic practices by Indigenous Taiwanese people with other Indigenous peoples on the Pacific Rim. Through art as our bridge, we want to connect our memories of nature, land, and culture, initiating the dialogue that binds (qadjai) across islands and communities.

This project began in 2025 and invites participation  and cooperation from artists, curators, and researchers from various countries to lead online discussions, symposiums, and lectures around the current situation and challenges that face Indigenous peoples, such as tradition vs contemporary life, language and listening, ecology and knowledge, land and self-governance, dance and voice, tourism and resourcing, healthcare, and so on. We are shaping a cultural corridor through the medium of art and building a global platform for the regeneration of memory for our future.