On Thursday morning, students of Career Tech High Academy Charter School launched a canoe into Hagat Bay. The significant moment serves  as a testament of our people’s resilience, intelligence, and living culture.

Not even rain could dampen the spirit of those at - it's that very spirit that  was greeted by a rainbow, almost as if the ancestors were giving their blessing as students and teachers part of the Navigation and Seafaring Course launched their completed

 

duduli, which is a traditional Chamorro canoe with a sail.

10th grader Nicocovin Alianza said, "It felt like my ancestors were on the boat with me, they were helping us make sure we launch successfully and safely."

Cheered on by fellow students and faculty, the canoe sailed off into Hagat Bay.

Lopaka Kanaka’ole is and apprentice and assistant instructor and told KUAM News, "I feel it was a very important day in history because when was the last time a canoe was built and actually launched from hagat? It's been many many years. So today is a celebration, remembering who we are and where we come from. That's what it's all about 51.

Joining master navigator and instructor Antonio Piailug on the canoe were Alianza and Joshua Cruz. "It felt spiritual. You really got to focus on the boat because sometimes it can be a life or death situation. So you really have to pay attention to the master and what he tells you to do," Alianza said, with Cruz adding, "Growing up, I was really fascinated in the old ways, traditional Chamorro styles. So growing up I was always out there in the jungle trying to learn new things. And seeing all the hard work that we put into the boat, carving it and getting ready, it felt good."

The canoe gliding on the southern waters, with a bold and beautiful sail painted and designed by Kaity McManus and students, was built by students in the program in school's Guma Sakman.

Piailug said, "We just put it up on our own and then we sail it. We can fish. We bring back our culture."

CTech is the only high school on guam and possibly the world to have traditional navigation in the school curriculum. "I feel like it connects me.now and days not a lot of people  are out here, especially my generation, they're not really out here doing things like this. I feel like just a small thing can make a big difference with the schools on Guam," said Cruz.

Kanaka’ole said, "A lot of times the students dont realize the stuff we are learning has a heavy influence of science. So our educational out here is traditional realm but coincides with western style of teaching- learn about valuable resources- whether it's the environment, what we farm, the wind the water, and our identity."

"We're learning what wood is good for the boat. The main boat itself- the center piece, main piece, that's from the lemmai tree, at first we were like, oh, what's this for? It keeps it afloat. We also learn about the currents and how to work with the wind," said Cruz.

The successful launch comes ahead of CTech's graduation. As principal Andersina McManus beautifully put it, " it represents growth – growth of our student population intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually, and it represents a maiden voyage for the soon-to-be graduates."

"It's good to look toward the future, but its good to stay connected to things in the past," said Cruz.