03/24/2021
The late Pius “Mau” Piailug of Satawal was one of the most transformative Pacific figures of the 20th century. In 1976, among the last traditional navigators in the world, Mau successfully navigated the Hōkūleʻa from Hawaiʻi to Tahiti without modern instruments. His profound demonstration of Pacific ingenuity quieted academic naysayers and changed the course of modern history for native Hawaiians and indigenous peoples throughout the Pacific. Papa Mau and his extended family of Micronesian Pwo navigators were recognized as a Pacific Legacy of Distinction at a virtual ceremony connecting atolls and high islands from Micronesia to Hawaiʻi. Hosted by Kamehameha Schools, Polynesian Voyaging Society, Bishop Museum, and the University of Hawaiʻi, traditional prayers and the ceremonial drinking of ʻawa and tuba were observed. Hawaiian Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson shares insights about his master teacher and the extraordinary gift of voyaging knowledge from a region of amazing beauty and brilliance, Micronesia.