THIS SACRED RITUAL DATING BACK TO THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO IS THE INITIATION CEREMONY FOR TONY

PIALUG, WHO IS THE FIRST MASTER NAVIGATOR OF SAIPAN. GRAND MASTER NAVIGATOR, ALI HALEYALUR,

CHANTS AS HE DIVIDES THE BREADFRUIT FOR TONY AND FOR THE NAVIGATION SCHOOLS ACROSS

MICRONESIA. EVEN THOUGH MOST SCHOOLS ARE GONE, HE STILL CALLS OUT EACH SCHOOL AS A SIGN OF

RESPECT TO THE MASTERS. THE MEN, WHO SERVED AS LEGS IN THE CEREMONY, ARE COVERED IN A NATIVE

MEDICINE TO BE PROTECTED AND BLESSED BY THE SPIRITS.