Traditional Voyaging Canoe Alingano Maisu Successfully Returns from Taiwan to Palau

Ambassador Jessica Lee Personally Welcomes the Crew at the Dock

The traditional voyaging canoe Alingano Maisu, carrying with it the wisdom of ancestral navigation and the spirit of Pacific heritage, triumphantly returned to Palau from Taiwan today (June 16)

. Ambassador Jessica Lee of the Republic of China (Taiwan) joined Palau Vice President and Minister of Health Hon. Raynold "Arnold" Vice President & Minister Raynold B. Oilouch, former President Tommy Remengesau, MVS Vice President Alan Seid, Board Member Dr. Viktor Yano, PCC President Dr. Patrick U. Tellei, High Chief Reklai, Japanese Ambassador ORIKASA Hiroyuki, and families and friends of the crew to welcome them home with open arms

“This is a truly historic moment in human seafaring,” said Ambassador Lee. “The return of Alingano Maisu—navigated solely by stars and ocean currents—demonstrates extraordinary skill and resilience, and is a shining example of the cultural connection between Palau and Taiwan

.”

Jointly organized by the Micronesian Voyaging Society and Palau Community College, the voyage crossed the Western Pacific and visited Taitung and Lanyu in Taiwan, where the crew engaged in cultural exchanges with the Tao and Amis Indigenous communities

“This is not only a successful voyage, but a living expression of our shared Austronesian heritage,” Ambassador Lee said. “The path carved by Maisu will inspire future generations to treasure tradition and dream boldly.”

Led by master wayfinder Sesario Sewralur, the multicultural crew—hailing from Palau, Micronesia, Taiwan, the U.S., and Japan—completed the entire journey without modern instruments, navigating instead by starlight, currents, and ancestral knowledge

As Alingano Maisu dropped anchor in Palau’s harbor, applause and cheers marked the conclusion of this remarkable journey across oceans and cultures.

“Congratulations, Alingano Maisu—welcome home!” Ambassador Lee concluded warmly