Waa'gey: Reviving Traditional Canoe Navigation Across Yap's Outer Islands

Founded in 2012 by master navigator and canoe carver Larry Raigetal, Waa'gey is a community-based organization that uses traditional canoe carving, sailing, navigation, and weaving to confront unemployment, cultural erosion, and climate change across Micronesia's outer islands. In May 2016, four canoes hand-built by Waa'gey trainees completed a five-day open-ocean voyage from Yap State to Guam using only traditional navigation techniques passed down from elders. The organization partners with the U.S. nonprofit Habele to supply tools and support for young carvers on islands like Lamotrek and Satawal, linking ancestral seafaring skills to present-day livelihoods.