How did Mau Piailug contribute to the revival of Polynesian navigation?

Mau Piailug, a master navigator from Satawal in the Federated States of Micronesia, played a pivotal role in the revival of traditional Pacific voyaging. In 1976, he served as the navigator for the maiden voyage of the Hokule’a, a reconstructed double-hulled Polynesian canoe, as it traveled from Hawaii to Tahiti.1

His contribution extended beyond a single voyage; he provided essential training to the Hawaiian navigator Nainoa Thompson, who subsequently taught the ancient arts of non-instrumental navigation to many others. This mentorship helped reawaken Pacific voyaging traditions that had been nearly lost. In recognition of his foundational role in this cultural revival, the canoe Alingano Maisu was gifted to Piailug in 2007, an event commemorated when the Hokule’a sailed to Satawal to accompany the vessel.1