500 Sails is grateful for the hands and passionate work of our Director Emeritus, Mario “Sakman” Borja, who arrived in Saipan in late April and dedicated almost all of his time here at the boatyard overhauling the 46-foot voyaging canoe, Che’lu. Sakman Mario, born in Saipan, has been living in San Diego as a part of the Chamorro diaspora, but his heart remains here in the Marianas with Che’lu, the first Chamorro Sakman to be recreated in the modern century.
As a master carpenter, Sakman Mario had some of the fundamental skills it would take to build a canoe, but it was really his high interest in physics and math that drove his passion to understand the unique features of the Chamorro sakman. Prior to pursuing his passion to build Chamorro canoes, Sakman Mario served in the U.S. Space Force within the Space Control squadron, the unit responsible for monitoring and tracking satellites in space to be able to predict their movement. Mario is also descended from a family of fishermen and was raised having a very close relationship to the ocean. In 1995, inspired by the story of Mau Piailug and the Hōkūle’a, he built a small canoe to welcome the Hōkūle’a to San Diego. At this time, he really began to question why Chamorros didn’t have any larger canoes in the water, and this sparked a fire in his heart. He grew to build smaller canoes, and with it, his confidence to be able to construct a full size sakman grew. Using the 1742 Anson drawing as his guide, he gained financial support from 500 Sails co-founders Pete & Emma Perez, and worked with several other builders to bring the Chamorro Sakman back to life.
Che’lu became part of the 500 Sails fleet in 2019. She arrived from Guam to Saipan to be placed under the watchful eyes of Master Navigator Cecilio Raiukiulipiy. Since then, Mario has been planning to get Che’lu on the water for her sea trials, but his plans to return to Saipan were postponed when the pandemic hit. During his time here, he worked to get Che’lu fully repaired and ready to sail her up to Pagan, about 200 miles north of Saipan. When this trip happens, it will be the first large traditional vessel to go up to Pagan in centuries.
Since he served as crew on the Saipan Circumnavigation in mid-April, Mario says “Building a canoe does not make you a sailor. Every canoe has its own attitude and demands a different level of attention in its different features. It’s important to have a crew that understands all of that.” Within the next four years, Sakman Mario aspires to voyage on Che’lu around through the neighboring islands in Micronesia, just as our ancestors did.
Along with these big dreams, Sakman Mario is excited about what the future holds for aspiring sailors, boatbuilders, and navigators of the next generation. Technology has advanced in such a way that opens up more opportunities and avenues to explore when considering and integrating the Anson drawing. His newest project, “Projecting beyond Anson” incorporates new technology to create an isometric projection of the canoe. The technology can give new dimension to the drawing that they were not able to apply when they first used the blueprint to build Che’lu. “People used to think we were crazy trying to recreate this thing based on an old drawing,” he says, “But the more doubt that we faced, the more courage we gained.” He believes that there should be more Chamorros concerned and invested in reviving canoe culture, because “The canoe can define us much better, as an important figure of telling the story of the island.” Still, he is hopeful and looking forward to Che’lu’s future journey, up to Pagan and throughout Micronesia. “I’m sure our ancestors will be happy to go along for the ride.”
We are so grateful to have Sakman Mario with us on this journey. His passion, hard work, and dedication are one of the currents that carry us to new horizons of canoe cultural revitalization. We look forward to his return back to the CNMI.
About 500 Sails
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. Major supporting partners include the CNMI Office of Indigenous Affairs, IT&E, and the Chamolinian Cultural Village Inc – Canoe Federation.
For more information on programs, call (670) 323-7245(SAIL), email info@500sails.org, or follow 500 Sails on Facebook and Instagram.
Che’lu Boatbuilder Mario Borja, right, discusses with Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, center, pre-colonization sea routes and the significance of the 1742 Anson drawing of a Chamorro canoe.
500 Sails co-founders Peter, back left, and Emma Perez, back right, and Master Navigator Mario Benito, front right, present Chamorro Engineer & Boatbuilder Mario “Sakman” Borja, front left, with the CNMI legislative resolution honoring Che’lu’, just outside the 500 Sails Boatyard on May 24, the day before his departure to the mainland.
