Two Canoes, One Ocean: Taitung Sailing School and the Micronesian Voyaging Society

Some friendships start on land. This one started at sea. When the traditional voyaging canoe Alingano Maisu first arrived in Taitung, our young sailors went out onto the ocean to welcome her. This October, in Palau, we finally had the chance to return the visit.

Alingano Maisu is a traditional double-hulled voyaging canoe, built as a gift from Hawai’i to the master navigator Pius “Mau” Piailug of Satawal. She is hosted by the Micronesian Voyaging Society (MVS), a Palau-based organisation that works to preserve traditional navigation and passes it on to younger generations, in partnership with Palau Community College.

Her voyages to Taiwan have been a powerful reminder of something we often think about in Taitung: the ocean has always connected Austronesian peoples. For a school that teaches children to sail on Taiwan’s east coast, seeing a canoe arrive from Micronesia was unforgettable.

A Gift That Crossed the Pacific

This year, our sailors wanted to give something back. They prepared a donation of sailing parts for MVS, and the parts travelled to Palau aboard Alingano Maisu herself. It was a small gesture, but we love the idea that a piece of Taitung sailing made the journey on a traditional voyaging canoe.

During our cultural exchange in Palau from September 30 to October 5, we visited Alingano Maisu while she was in dry dock. Our sailors could see the canoe up close, ask questions and talk with the crew about voyaging. For children who usually sail small dinghies on a lake or along the coast, standing beside a canoe built for long ocean passages made the idea of voyaging feel real.

Sailing a Traditional Canoe

The exchange did not stop on land. The children also went sailing in a traditional Austronesian sailing canoe from Palau Community College, with its red hull and blue sail featuring a yellow sun. It was a very different experience from sailing our Optimists and Lasers, and a wonderful opportunity to learn how another sailing tradition works. As we often say at the school, sailing is not only a sport; it is also a way to connect with culture and history.

We hope this is only the beginning of a long collaboration. We would love to keep sharing knowledge with MVS, sail together in Taitung and Palau, and give our young sailors more opportunities to learn from the people keeping traditional voyaging alive.

Today, they are learning to rig a boat and trim a sail. Tomorrow, who knows? Some of them might become the voyagers of the future.

Thank you to MVS, Palau Community College, the crew of Alingano Maisu, and everyone who welcomed us in Palau. Mesulang!