Special Message from Nainoa Thompson on the Passing of Mau Piailug

We send this with great sadness.  It is a message sent to try to reach the countless number of people around the world touched by a single, extraordinary, beautiful man.   Our teacher and Master Navigator, Mau, has passed away. 

We have been in contact with Satawal for two weeks now and clearly Mau was navigating his illness and his life, and like all his voyages, he was navigating with great courage and strength. 

It’s also a time to thank Mau, his family, the island of Satawal, its chiefs and all of Micronesia for his great gift of helping us remember who we are as an ocean people.  We thank them for the countless lessons and teachings that were gifted to us over the last 35 years.  His contributions to the well-being and strength of the voyaging ‘ohana, Hawai‘i, all of Polynesia and the Pacific are immeasurable. We send out all of our love and aloha to Mau, his family and to the people of Satawal. 

I do know that one of Mau’s great wishes for his students was to learn, and for his students to teach, and in order to do that you need to sail.  So, it’s both fitting and necessary that we continue that.  Mau loved Hawai‘i and the people of Hawai‘i. So, very shortly we will be mapping out a sail plan to visit communities around the state.  It’s to honor Mau, to make sure we do what he fundamentally asked us to do – sail, learn and teach.   As soon as the sail plan is detailed out we will communicate with you again.

Me ke aloha,

Nainoa