THE

ALINGANO

MAISU

papa mau

Papa Mau was born in 1932 on the island of Satawal in Micronesia, was more than a master navigator—he was a bridge between our oceans. Raised in the tradition of wayfinding by his elders. He was a keeper of a knowledge system passed down by stars, swells, wind, and deep ancestral memory.

When the art of traditional navigation had nearly disappeared in Hawaiʻi, Papa Mau was there to teach a new generation how to find their way home. His guidance made the voyage of Hōkūleʻa to Tahiti possible—proving that our ancestors were master seafarers, and that their knowledge still lived.

For those who knew him or learned from his teachings, Papa Mau was more than a teacher—he was a living embodiment of our connection to the ocean, to one another, and to the ancestors who came before us. His decision to share his sacred knowledge helped ignite a cultural renaissance across the Pacific.

He passed in 2010, but his spirit sails on. Every canoe that launches, every student who learns to read the stars, every voyager who trusts the ocean—carries part of him forward. Papa Mau didn’t just revive navigation. He helped us remember who we are.

Honoring a Legacy : The 17th Voyage of Alingano Maisu

The Alingano Maisu is more than a canoe—it is a living vessel of knowledge, identity, and connection across the Pacific.

Constructed in June 2003 by Nā Kālai Waʻa and the ʻOhana Waʻa, Maisu was built in honor of Grand Master Navigator Pius "Papa Mau" Piailug. In March 2007, the canoe completed its maiden voyage to Satawal, Micronesia—Papa Mau’s home—alongside Hōkūleʻa, symbolizing a powerful reconnection between Hawaiʻi and Micronesia.

Today, the Micronesian Voyaging Society (MVS), a community-based organization headquartered in Palau, carries that legacy forward. Rooted in the teachings of Mau Piailug, MVS is dedicated to preserving and advancing the ancestral art of Pacific navigation—without modern instruments—using stars, swells, wind, clouds, and birds as guides.

At the center of this work is Alingano Maisu, currently moored outside Neco Marine in Koror, Palau. The canoe now serves as a floating classroom for youth leadership, environmental stewardship, and cultural exchange. Traditional navigation is taught by Sesario Sewralur—Mau’s son and a master navigator in his own right—through Palau Community College and MVS-led programs.

Guided by a board of voyaging champions and cultural leaders, MVS continues to pass on these teachings to the next generation. In April and May 2025, Alingano Maisu will embark on its 17th voyage—a historic journey from Palau to Taiwan. This cultural exchange voyage not only strengthens regional partnerships but also reawakens the deep seafaring ties that connect Austronesian peoples across oceans and generations.

meet the board , OUR crew, AND partners

  • Chief Reklai Bao Ngirmang Board member

  • Patrick Tellei - President - Palau Community College

  • Sesario Sewralur - Captain and Grand Master Navigator Satawal

  • Mr. Shallum Etpison President

  • President Tommy Remengesau, Jr.Board member

  • Mr. Alan R. Seid, Sr. Vice President

  • Dr. Victor Yano Board Member

  • Min. Faustina Rehuher-Marugg Board member

  • Wayne Adelbai Koror - Palau - CREW MEMBER

  • Miano Sowraenpiy - Satawal - CREW MEMBER

  • Aalauʻu -Ron Soriaro Acfalle - Guam - Ulitao - CREW MEMBER

  • Chang Yeh Hsia Man - Taiwan -Lanyu - Documentary Film Maker - CREW MEMBER

  • Andrea Yamoka Carr - Saipan 500 Sails - CREW MEMBER

  • Moss Sewralur - FSM - CREW MEMBER

  • Edson Limes - Saipan - CREW MEMBER

  • Clyde Raus - FSM - CREW MEMBER

  • Andrew Polloi - Palau - UH Hilo - CREW MEMBER

  • Ismael Tewalmai - FSM - CREW MEMBER

  • Andew Kai Wing Lau - Australia / Taiwan - CREW MEMBER

Rooted in shared values and mutual support, this collaboration combines traditional voyaging knowledge with cutting-edge environmental science. Together, the partners are creating immersive programs—like the Palau Pledge Camps—that connect youth to Indigenous navigation, ridge-to-reef stewardship, and deep ocean awareness.

Over the coming years, the partnership will expand the Network, support international engagement, and lead key initiatives including the launch of Ol’au Palau in 2025 and the Alingano Maisu voyage to Hawai‘i in 2027. These milestones reflect a broader vision: to build cultural resilience, inspire the next generation of leaders, and strengthen regional collaboration through education, science, and ancestral wisdom.

This growing effort is made possible with early support from the GEF Small Grants Programme.

The Micronesian Voyaging Society (MVS), Palau Pledge, and the Pacific Academic Institute for Research (PAIR) have formed a long-term partnership to advance cultural preservation, environmental education, and sustainable development across Micronesian island nations.