The Palauan sailing boat Alingano Maisu will arrive in Kaohsiung Harbor March 7 to highlight the deep cultural bond between Taiwan and Pacific island states, the Ocean Affairs Council said Feb. 24.
Departing Palau Feb. 15, the vessel will sail past Taiwan, the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, the U.S. territories of Guam and Saipan, and the Micronesian islands of Satawal and Yap before returning to Palau to conclude its four-month, 6,200-nautical-mile Pacific tour.
Built in 2007 using traditional techniques, Alingano Maisu is a single-masted boat with a hull length of 17 meters and a deck width of 5 meters. It was named by the late legendary Micronesian navigator Pius Mau Piailug, also known as Papa Mau, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to promoting knowledge of traditional navigation.
The OAC said the crew will employ natural and traditional wayfinding techniques during the entire trip to spotlight the precise navigational wisdom of the Austronesian people.
Comprising 13 seafarers from Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Taiwan and the U.S., the crew is headed by Sesario Sewralur, son of Papa Mau, who during the sailing ceremony called on Pacific island states and Austronesian peoples to work in unity to safeguard their maritime homeland, as they are one people sharing one ocean. He added that the trip marks a significant development in efforts to preserve traditional sailing skills, revive cultural memories and promote sustainability.
The vessel called at Orchid Island and Taitung County last May as part of an Austronesian cultural seafaring exchange activity organized by the local government and Palau’s Micronesian Voyaging Society, with support from the OAC. (SFC-E)
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Departing Palau Feb. 15, the vessel will sail past Taiwan, the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, the U.S. territories of Guam and Saipan, and the Micronesian islands of Satawal and Yap before returning to Palau to conclude its four-month, 6,200-nautical-mile Pacific tour.
Built in 2007 using traditional techniques, Alingano Maisu is a single-masted boat with a hull length of 17 meters and a deck width of 5 meters. It was named by the late legendary Micronesian navigator Pius Mau Piailug, also known as Papa Mau, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to promoting knowledge of traditional navigation.
The OAC said the crew will employ natural and traditional wayfinding techniques during the entire trip to spotlight the precise navigational wisdom of the Austronesian people.
Comprising 13 seafarers from Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Taiwan and the U.S., the crew is headed by Sesario Sewralur, son of Papa Mau, who during the sailing ceremony called on Pacific island states and Austronesian peoples to work in unity to safeguard their maritime homeland, as they are one people sharing one ocean. He added that the trip marks a significant development in efforts to preserve traditional sailing skills, revive cultural memories and promote sustainability.
The vessel called at Orchid Island and Taitung County last May as part of an Austronesian cultural seafaring exchange activity organized by the local government and Palau’s Micronesian Voyaging Society, with support from the OAC. (SFC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
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