Among the Yami (Tao) people of Lanyu (Orchid Island), the tomok serves as the spiritual core of the traditional house. This central pillar, carved from wood in a triangular shape—broad at the base and narrow at the top—is vertically installed beneath the ridge beam of the rear chamber. Due to its symbolic importance, it is also known as the “ancestral pillar.” In the Yami language, it is referred to as tomok.
Typically made of mangosteen wood, the tomok is often topped with a V-shaped motif resembling goat horns, symbolizing longevity and prosperity. While these motifs are missing on many older examples, the surface often still shows shallow, horizontal wave-like carvings.
Because Lanyu Island is frequently struck by typhoons and strong winds, traditional houses are built partially underground—sometimes one to two meters deep—for better protection. The home is organized in three ascending sections: a front porch, a front room, and a rear room.
Only individuals with high social standing are permitted to construct a house with three or four doors and erect a tomok. Each step—from selecting and shaping the wood to its final placement—is carried out with great care and follows ritual protocols. The installation must take place on an auspicious day and is accompanied by specific taboos and sacrificial rites, including the slaughter of a pig or sheep, whose blood is smeared on the pillar.
Once the house is completed, the owner performs a ceremony in front of the tomok to officially name the heir to the pillar. As the Yami people live in nuclear families, each house is used by only one generation. When the father dies, the house is dismantled. The tomok is inherited by the eldest son, and the remaining building materials are divided among all sons.
Structurally, the top of the tomok includes a slim cylindrical tenon for connection with the ridge beam, and two holes near the top for binding. Its silhouette—wide at the bottom, narrow at the top, and gently curved—combines functional design with deep cultural meaning.
