500 Sails wishes a very Happy Birthday to one of its Master Navigators, Mario Benito. Benito is a Senior Sakman Leader (boatbuilder) at 500 Sails, who was instrumental in launching the free Sunday Sails program in October 2020. Sunday Sails gives the public the unique opportunity to experience sailing on a traditional canoe and even learn how to sail.
Born and raised on the island of Polowat in Chuuk, Benito is a highly respected leader who brings over 47 years of navigational experience into the fold. Having joined 500 Sails sixteen months ago, Benito wanted the opportunity to realize a dream that both he and 500 Sails hope to bring to the forefront — to bring more canoes out on the water and teach the CNMI community how to sail.
As we celebrate his birthday, we would like to pay homage to the added value his work has brought to the community. A humble man, well loved by his 500 Sails family and friends alike, we would like to share with you a few snapshots of his life and its impact in the revival of maritime cultural traditions.
Since he was four years old, Benito had been sailing with his father, uncles, and his grandfather Taworhu Onopey and had trained for years under the tutelage of some of the most famous Grand Master Polowat navigators, including the late Hipour Ewoluth (Edward), Manipey Rapang, Teo Onopey, and Rainam Edward, who, in particular, had performed his Pwo ceremony in Guahan in 2016. As a member of the Houpolowat clan, Benito belongs to both Utt Wenimai and Utt Wenipukuw and has received formal training from the Weriyaeng School of Navigation and informally from the Fanur School of Navigation. Nephew to Mau Piailug, one of the more well-known navigators in the Western world, Benito’s understanding of the water and weather is a reflection of thousands of years of oral traditions and maritime skillsets that had been handed down across generations. Benito understood that as more of the youth left their islands, there were fewer individuals interested in pursuing navigation. With values aligned with the vision of 500 Sails, Benito saw the opportunity to expand the organization’s reach by initiating the Sunday Sails program every week.
Benito is no stranger to the Marianas (a graduate from Marianas High School), having completed multiple voyages from Polowat to Guam and the CNMI over the years. His joy in bringing people together on these voyages made him a natural fit with 500 Sails, further adding into the diversity of its partnerships and promoting cultural tolerance for people of all backgrounds. Benito had also worked on Saipan in cable and television production as a cameraman and photographer for Saipan Cable TV, Marianas Cable Vision, and Saipan TV Production. He also assisted on a number of documentaries, of notable worth was his lead work on “Sacred Vessels: Navigating Tradition and Identity in Micronesia” (1997). He had given lectures on traditional maritime practices at the University of Minnesota alongside Professor Vicente Diaz of the Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies Program and the former Professor of Pacific History and Micronesian Studies at the University of Guam. Mario had even carved a waa herak (a Micronesian outrigger sailing canoe) for them which had been successfully sailed on the lake. He had been impressed with a particular Native American tribe, the Ojibwe, who would conduct ceremonies for this “sacred vessel” before its voyage out, a lasting reminder of a similar custom he was reminded of in days old.
“Mario saw something that the community needed and supporting him seemed like the natural next step” says Emma. While having heard of Mario Benito before, his name was brought to the forefront of 500 Sails’ search for a boatbuilder in a conversation between herself and John Tagabuel from the Carolinian Affairs Office.
“Mario is very open-minded about building with alternative materials, because he wants to see more canoes and agrees this is the way to do it,” says Pete. “He supports the concept of building with fiberglass in addition to building with wood and he likes learning this technology. He loves to build and is interested in both the new and old ways of building. Together, maritime traditions here can truly flourish.”
500 Sails is a 501(c)3 and CNMI tax-exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to reviving, promoting, and preserving the maritime cultural traditions of the Mariana Islands through community engagement in canoe cultural values and activities. 500 Sails’ vision is a healthy thriving native community that has successfully integrated traditional cultural values into modern life.
Sunday Sails runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is accompanied by a potluck beach barbeque. No reservations are necessary — just come to the beach behind the Guma Sakman with something to share. Further information can be found on the 500 Sails website at https://500sails.org and updates on our community programs can be found on our 500 Sails Facebook and Instagram pages. Master Navigator Benito can be reached at the boatyard in Lower Base at (670) 323-7245 (SAIL).
Mario Benito
Senior Sakman Leader & Master Navigator Mario Benito, right, assesses the measurements of a small model of a Carolinian canoe with some members of his team: boatbuilders Lolobeyong Benito, center, and Timothy Onopey, left.
