Our Inspiration: Mau Piailug

It is with profound sadness that we share news of the passing of a great man, master navigator Mau Piailug.

Affectionately called Papa Mau, he was not a great man because of his incredible skills, which were indeed immense.  Papa Mau’s greatness came from his richness of spirit and depth of mana. With great generosity he shared with people from around the world the vastness of knowledge that was passed down to him from generation upon generation.

The end of a long line of Polynesian navigators who learned their vocation and avocation from birth, Papa Mau took under his wings young men and women and began to teach them to understand the world around them. Through his loving guidance, this new generation of navigators began to see with new eyes.

While much of Papa Mau’s knowledge had yet to be shared, we are forever grateful for the time we had with him. It is now our responsibility to build upon his teachings, to rediscover the truths of our environment, and to teach our young so that these traditions will never be endangered again.

E Papa Mau, mahalo nui loa. E ho‘omaha me ka maluhia. Aloha kākou iā ‘oe.