Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698744442434.pdf (Micronesia, Federated States of)
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA FIFTH REGULAR SESSION, 2010 C.R.

NO.

16-125 A RESOLUTION Expressing the heartfelt sadness and condolences of the Sixteenth Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia at the passing of Master Navigator Pius “Mau” Piailug of the State of Yap.
1 WHEREAS, the late Master Navigator Pius “Mau” Piailug was 2 born in 1932 and was 78 years old when he passed away on July 13, 3 2010; and 4 WHEREAS, Master Navigator Mau Piailug was a native of the 5 wonderful island of Satawal in the State of Yap; and 6 WHEREAS, Master Navigator Mau Piailug was chosen at a young 7 age by his grandfather, a master navigator himself, to be a 8 navigator for the island of Satawal; and 9 WHEREAS, Master Navigator Mau Piailug began his formal 10 training in traditional, non-instrumental, wayfinding methods for 11 blue water voyaging early in his life, and at the age of 18, Mau 12 Piailug was made a palu or master navigator; and 13 WHEREAS, in 1976, Master Navigator Mau Piailug stepped 14 forward to captain the H•kle‘a, a traditional sailing canoe, on a 15 2,500 mile voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti, using only the stars, 16 sun, wind, birds and ocean currents to guide the crew; and 17 WHEREAS, the now famous 1976 expedition was organized by the 18 Polynesian Voyaging Society to test the possibility of ancient 19 seafarers’ ability to travel that way through open ocean; and 20 WHEREAS, the success of the Hkle‘a expedition provided 21 insight to those in academia studying Micronesian-Polynesian CRL 16-124 C.R.
NO.
16-125 1 culture and migration hypotheses, and reignited a strong interest 2 in preserving traditional wayfaring navigation skills; and 3 WHEREAS, Master Navigator Mau Piailug was considered 4 one of the last masters of traditional wayfaring navigational 5 skills, and became a renowned and esteemed teacher of these skills 6 in an effort to preserve the knowledge of traditional wayfaring 7 from extinction; and 8 WHEREAS, in 1999, an Hawaiian nonprofit organization, Nã 9 Kalai Wa’a Moku, started by two of his students, arranged for the 10 expedition of a 54-four foot voyaging canoe named Makali’i to 11 become the first Hawaiian voyaging canoe to visit Micronesia; and 12 WHEREAS, the Makali’i voyage to Sawatal was named 13 E Mau/Sailing the Master Home; the voyage was arranged to pay 14 homage to Master Navigator Mau Pialug, and Mau Piailug sailed home 15 aboard Makali’i as their honored guest in his last great ocean 16 crossing; and 17 WHEREAS, in 2000, Master Navigator Mau Piailug was honored 18 by the Smithsonian Institute at the National Museum of Natural 19 History where the Smithsonian Secretary aptly summarized that “The 20 rebirth of non-instrument navigation came about largely due to 21 this man, Mau Piailug;” and 22 WHEREAS, in appreciation and recognition of Master Navigator 23 Mau Piailug’s contributions to teaching and preserving traditional 24 wayfaring skills, in 2007 the people of Hawaii presented him with 25 a double-hulled canoe, the Alingano Maisu; the Alingano Maisu was 2 of 4 C.R.
NO.
16-125 1 sailed to Sawatal with the Hkle‘a in a voyage named Ku Holo 2 Mau/Sail On, Sail Always, Sail Forever; and 3 WHEREAS, because of Master Navigator Mau Piailug’s efforts 4 and commitment, his significant and impressive knowledge and 5 skills in traditional navigation will not vanish with his passing, 6 but will continue to be found in the many students he taught and 7 mentored, and the considerable legacy he leaves behind; now, 8 therefore, 9 BE IT RESOLVED by the Sixteenth Congress of the Federated 10 States of Micronesia, Fifth Regular Session, 2010, that the 11 Congress hereby expresses its recognition of, and appreciation 12 for, the many contributions made to Micronesian culture by Master 13 Navigator Pius “Mau” Pialug during his lifetime; and 14 BE IN FURTHER RESOLVED that the Congress, on behalf of the 15 people of the Federated States of Micronesia, wishes to express to 16 the family and friends of the late Master Navigator Pius “Mau” 17 Pialug, and to the people of Yap, its heartfelt sadness and 18 condolences at his passing; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this 3 of 4 C.R.
NO.

16-125 1 resolution be transmitted to the President of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Governor of the State of Yap and the family of the late Master Navigator Pius Mau Piailug.

2 3 4 5 Date: 9/20/10 Introduced by: /s/ Isaac V. Figir Isaac V. Figir /s/ Joseph J. Urusemal Joseph J. Urusemal 4 of 4