In honor of Hōkūle‘a’s 50th Birthday, the 11th Legislature of the State of Yap presented a formal resolution expressing profound and sincere appreciation to the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS), Nā Kālai Wa‘a (NKW), and the people of Hawai‘i and Polynesia. The resolution, which was formally presented by Yap Senator Gabriel Ramoloilug to PVS CEO Nainoa Thompson and Shorty Bertelmann of NKW in Niu Valley, O‘ahu on March 6, 2025, proclaims recognition for their unwavering support and enduring commitment to the State of Yap—especially the people of Satawal Island and the traditional chiefs, the Council of Tamol—by honoring and perpetuating traditional wayfinding and voyaging.

This landmark resolution acknowledges the invaluable role played by master navigator Pius Mau Piailug of Satawal Island, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia, who shared his ancestral knowledge of celestial navigation and wayfinding with the people of Hawai‘i. This knowledge helped spark a cultural renaissance and reawakened the art of traditional Polynesian navigation across the Pacific.

“This resolution is more than ceremonial—it is a reaffirmation of our shared voyaging heritage and a heartfelt expression of gratitude to those who have carried the flame of wayfinding across oceans and generations,” said Senator Ramoloilug.

Among the notable milestones recognized in the resolution:

The historic 1976 voyage of Hōkūle‘a from Hawai‘i to Tahiti, under the guidance of Piailug, proved the validity and vitality of ancient navigation techniques, without the use of modern instruments.

Earlier, in 1975, the Chechemeni canoe, guided by Louis Rapanglug of Satawal, sailed to Okinawa, followed by his 1987 voyage to Fukuoka, Japan aboard the canoe Tipiew, and the reopening of the Mathawalwol sea route in 1970—all monumental in renewing connections of heritage, strengthened cultural identity, and revitalizing the unity within the community of Pacific peoples.

The ongoing commitment of Hawaiian and Polynesian navigators who were mentored by Mau Piailug and who received traditional rites of Pwo in 2007 and 2008, was also acknowledged.

The Yap State Legislature recognized how the teachings of Mau Piailug—through PVS, Nā Kālai Wa‘a, and Polynesian navigators—have endured and flourished, inspiring future generations through cross-cultural exchange and ancestral knowledge. The voyages of Makali‘i in 1999, the E-Mau voyage to return the master navigator to his home, and the delivery of the Alingano Maisu canoe to Satawal in 2000 were all named as pivotal events strengthening Pacific unity.

The resolution commends PVS, Nā Kālai Wa‘a, and the voyaging communities of Hawai‘i and Polynesia for their continued leadership and stewardship in perpetuating the sacred art of traditional navigation.