Papa Mau: The Wayfinder will make its world broadcast premiere on PBS Hawaii Presents Thursday, September 29 at 8:30 p.m. The one-hour documentary tells the story of master navigator Mau Piailug (1932-2010) from Satawal, Micronesia.
In Satawal, navigators are chosen at birth and begin training at an early age, wading in the shallow tide pools to gain a feel for the ocean. They learn the stars, currents and winds, developing an intuitive understanding of the cosmos and a deep trust, respect and understanding of the sea. Mau was recognized as a master navigator by the time he was 18 years old.
In 1975, a small group of visionaries in Hawaii came together to build a voyaging canoe in the ancient style. The dream was to sail to Tahiti along the pathway recounted in oral traditions. The critical missing component was a navigator trained in the traditional ways. Mau agreed to navigate Hōkūle'a on her maiden voyage to Tahiti using only his knowledge of the heavens and the ocean. The union of navigator and canoe became a driving force, reawakening cultural pride and unity throughout Polynesia.
More than thirty years since the maiden voyage of Hōkūle'a, Hawaii is now home to a handful of long-distance voyaging canoes being used to train and educate a new generation. To show their gratitude for what he taught them, Mau's students honored him in 2007 with the ultimate gift for a wayfinder - a 56-foot double-hulled voyaging canoe.
The Alingano Maisu was designed, constructed and sailed to Satawal where Mau, aging and in frail health, waited to receive his students from Polynesia. The story came full circle as Mau, in turn, honored his students by performing the ancient Micronesian Pwo ceremony to recognize them as the next generation of master navigators.
Papa Mau: The Wayfinder documents this 30-year adventure to revive the art of navigation for the Hawaiian people, made possible by the aloha that one man had for his own people and his Polynesian cousins. Filming took over five years and covered thousands of miles of travel throughout the Pacific as Producer/ Director Nā'ālehu Anthony, a Hōkūle'a captain himself, captured the incredible story from those who experienced the journey.
Great Grandfather's Drum 
