The building process in South Celebes.
Adel and Piton - Their last vacation together in Japan, Nov 2018.
Erli (Adel’s sister) and PITON at Hongkong, 2018
Adel and Piton in Osaka, 2018.
taken at Labuan Bajo, 2016 - This is PITON :)
story behind papiton.
Everything always begins with a dream. Several years ago, when I was still 22 years old, I visited the Phinisi builder village located in the Southern part of Celebes, Indonesia. At that time, the future seemed distant and uncertain. The 22-year-old me stood on one of the majestic Phinisi boats being constructed there, and I thought to myself, 'It would be incredible to own such a boat.' I believe, at that moment, I spoke from the heart.
As years passed, I traveled to various new places, met many interesting individuals along the way, and had my share of fun. I lived my early 20s to the fullest, experiencing both tears and laughter. Life appeared vibrant, filled with opportunities, a remarkable circle of friends, and numerous chances.
However, as with many stories, life doesn't always unfold according to our plans. It was at the beginning of March 2017, a day I never expected to be one of the most memorable in my life. Early in the morning, before the sunrise, I lost my first love, my father, my Papi.
For a while, I found myself in a dark pit, my heart shattered, feeling lost without the one safe place to hold onto. It was a challenging period for me. But, with time, I realized that a single moment doesn't define one's entire life. So, I made a decision—to keep moving forward. I resumed my travels, exploring places like the Maldives, Philippines, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Austria, Morocco, and more. Yet, in the end, I understood that I was merely avoiding my pain and sadness, not truly healing from it. Even after traveling the world, I hadn't fully recovered; it had been a distraction because I was afraid to confront the pain. When I returned from my journeys, everything remained the same. It had all been temporary happiness.
At that point, I recalled the dream I had shared with my father. A year before he passed away, I talked to him about building a boat together, given my involvement in the travel industry and his love for fishing. But, in the end, we couldn't make it happen; time moved faster than we did.
Despite the odds, I knew in my heart that this was what I wanted to do—a dedication to my Papi, something I loved. To keep it brief, over a span of about 9 months, with the help of remarkable individuals, we crafted these vessels and brought the dream to life. There were many challenges along the way, but the spirit and the dream were more significant. And here they are, these magnificent vessels that we proudly call Papiton.
Why Papiton? Just like the story I shared earlier, I referred to my dad as Papi or Piton because his name is Anton. So, PAPI-ANTON became Papiton.
Thank you for taking the time to read the story behind Papiton. I want to share love and support with all of you who read this and are still on your way to your destination. Something beautiful can arise from the darkest of moments when you believe in yourself and persist. Keep faith in your dreams; dreams never die. Don't give up; you're almost there.
With love,