Pacific Canoe Completes Traditional Route
A non-motorized canoe completed the journey from Palau to Taiwan using only wind and paddle, retracing ancient maritime routes. The voyage celebrates Pacific Islander navigation skills and efforts to preserve indigenous seafaring knowledge across traditional ocean pathways.
The vessel that completed the journey is the "Alingano Maisu," a traditional double-hulled canoe. Its name was bestowed by the late legendary Micronesian navigator Pius "Papa Mau" Piailug, a key figure in the revival of non-instrument wayfinding. The voyage is led by Grandmaster Navigator Sesario Sewralur, who follows in the legacy of Papa Mau. The intergenerational crew of 13 includes Sewralur's son, London, and other young apprentice sailors from Palau, Hawaii, Yap, and Guam, ensuring the passage of ancestral knowledge. This journey is the first leg of a larger four-month, 6,200-mile expedition. After Taiwan, the Alingano Maisu's planned route includes stops in Okinawa, Guam, Saipan, Satawal, and Yap before returning to Palau. Navigators on board use no modern instruments, relying instead on traditional wayfinding techniques. This sophisticated system involves reading the stars, sun, ocean swells, wind patterns, clouds, and the movement of birds to determine their position and direction. The route itself is significant, highlighting the ancestral connection between the Indigenous peoples of Taiwan and other Pacific Islanders, who share a common Austronesian heritage. The voyage is seen as a cultural exchange to strengthen these ancient maritime bonds. Organized by the Micronesian Voyaging Society, the expedition serves as a platform for education and cultural diplomacy. At its various stops, the crew will engage with local communities and youth to discuss ocean stewardship and cultural preservation. This is not the Alingano Maisu's first visit to Taiwan; it also sailed from Palau last year, docking at Orchid Island and Taitung County. The current, more extensive voyage aims to further cultural exchange and includes two Taiwanese crew members.
