Micronesian Sakman Canoe

Timeline

1. 1071–1074Guam · GuamChamorro shipwrights carved large monohulls from hardwood, fitted crab-claw sails and outrigger floats, with hulls reaching over ten meters; the shipbuilding process accompanied sacrificial rituals, and techniques were passed down through families, supporting the Mariana Islands' seaborne reach across surrounding waters.
2. 1074–1078Philippine Sea · Philippine SeaSakman fleets used the northeast monsoon to sail from Guam toward Yap and Chuuk, carrying volcanic glass tools, shell currency, and pottery jars, and returning with Caroline Islands goods; this route endured for a thousand years and was one of the oldest ocean-going trade networks in the western Pacific.
3. 1078–1080Yap · YapYap, as a western Micronesian trade hub, received sakman fleets from the Marianas, exchanging stone money (rai) and other goods; the seafaring links between Yap and Guam strengthened the political and cultural bonds among the islands of Micronesia.