#Hōkūleʻa

[lucybellwood]

YES!!!!! Thank you so much for writing this up, @jinlinli. I've been obsessed with this story for years and every time I buttonhole unsuspecting friends and acquaintances and bellow

"OKAY BUT DID YOU KNOW MOANA IS PRACTICALLY A TRUE STORY?"

in the most normal way possible, none of them know about it. It baffles me! It ASTOUNDS me! I want everyone to know!

I so appreciate that you collected all these names in one place and gave credit to the lineage of seafarers who shaped so much of the Second Hawaiian Renaissance.

Also: the crew of Hōkūleʻa have been doing a great job documenting her current circumnavigation on their blog if you wanna get teary-eyed about the power of seafaring and community. I managed to catch a glimpse of her in Juneau before she left and it was a bucket list-level item for sure.

The Hawaiian History Behind Moana

Buckle in kids, this is going to be a long one.

So the story of Moana fits very very neatly with the Disney formula for coming of age stories, and it’s drawn some flak for that. But I would argue that it’s a very Polynesian story. True, the story only really has figures and elements of the traditional myths of Polynesia’s oral history. And true, the directors ultimately chose not to use Taika Waititi’s early script and instead chose to write their own. However, that still doesn’t mean that Moana isn’t a Polynesian story because I believe it very much is. A very specific one in fact.

Keep reading

[existentialterror]

The Moananuiākea voyage starts on 6/15

The Hōkūleʻa, a traditional-style double-hulled oceanfaring canoe, is about to start a 4-year circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean! They've been sailing around Alaska lately, where they're going to start the official journey on 6/15.

(Map from this announcement post [link]) The journey is planned by the Polynesian Voyaging Society [link], which is keeping alive Polynesian wayfinding (navigating on the ocean without instruments) and voyaging. They're super cool, check out their website. They have a bunch of neat videos about the journey so far on their Youtube channel [link]. Here's one with some absolutely gorgeous shots of this giant double-hulled Polynesian canoe hanging out around glaciers and huge snowy mountains.

I'm really excited to keep an eye on this.

[jupiter-dromaeos]

The 2133 Holepunch Incident

Image context below!

After meeting during a joint research mission on an anomalous eyeball planet, Jupiter and Brigali became colleagues at the Hōkūleʻa Orbital Spatiotemporal Institute (HOSI), and invested their efforts into studying the potential of wormholes that would bypass liminal subspace. During a procedure involving creating a wormhole with modified properties, the bridging protocol seemingly ceased to function, with the central gap in the HOSI's toroidal structure gaining no physical alterations. It was only when an exasperated Jupiter drifted into the gap to examine it that something did manifest: a branching inter-universal wormhole, at the exact spot where Jupiter was hovering. Jupiter's neural system was flooded with countless new inputs from alternate versions of themself, now referred to as the Parallel Jovians. The Parallel Jovians, based on their universe's similarity to Jupiter's own, could communicate with, swap places with, or appear near Jupiter. The sudden influx of extra-dimensional life-forms with previously unobserved capabilities caused considerable damage to the Institute and its personnel, and left Jupiter incapable of continuing work in the field for the foreseeable future.

[xtruss]

This Legendary Polynesian Canoe Will Sail 43,000 Miles, From Alaska to Tahiti

The crew of the Hōkūleʻa is embarking on an arduous 47-month journey across the Pacific Rim.

— By Jill K. Robinson | June 7, 2023

In this 2013 photo, the Hōkūleʻa crew trains in the ancient art of Polynesian wayfinding—navigating without modern tools. The Hōkūleʻa and her sister canoe, the Hikianalia, will embark on a circumnavigation of the Pacific in 2023, connecting Polynesian cultures and highlighting ocean conservation along the way. Photograph By Paul Nicklen, National Geographic Image Collection

The feat of Polynesian wayfinding—navigating by stars, wind, and waves—had long been discounted by scholars on the grounds that ancient Polynesians didn’t have the knowledge to be master navigators. But in 1976, a traditional 62-foot, double-hull voyaging canoe called Hōkūleʻa sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti with a crew of 15, proving that the old ways were more than enough to carry people across the vast ocean.

Now, the next generation of Polynesian wayfarers is stepping up and getting onboard. Beginning June 15 in Alaska, Hōkūleʻa and her sister canoe Hikianalia will set off on a 43,000-nautical-mile, 47-month circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean. The journey will take them to 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly a hundred Indigenous territories, and 345 ports. There’ll be about 12 crew on each canoe at a time, switching out about every four weeks, for a total of 400 crew members over four years.

Here’s what to know about this epic voyage.

Hōkūleʻa’s History

Named after Arcturus, the zenith star of the Hawaiian Islands, Hōkūleʻa (“star of gladness”) was conceived and built by the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS). This Honolulu, Hawaii-based organization was established to research the means by which Polynesian seafarers found and settled on islands within the immense Pacific Ocean. Since her first voyage, Hōkūleʻa has traveled throughout the globe. Its founders want to explore and reclaim Polynesian culture, traditions, and relationship to both home and the planet.

“Hōkūleʻa allows us to find the connection that a lot of people believed was lost,” says National Geographic explorer Lehua Kamalu, Hōkūleʻa’s first female captain and the voyaging director of PVS.

The Moananuiākea Voyage

Hōkūleʻa’s Moananuiākea (“the vast Pacific”) Voyage embarks this month from Alaska due to a partnership that began in 1990. At that time, the Polynesian Voyaging Society approached the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples of the Sealaska Corporation after searching unsuccessfully for koa logs large enough to build a Hawaiian voyaging canoe from traditional native materials. The nonprofit Alaska Native conservation group gifted the society two Sitka spruce logs.

“That’s why we’re starting in Alaska,” says Randie Fong, leader of ʻAha Moananuiākea Pacific Consortium. “It’s important when we travel that we acknowledge the global Indigenous community and our traditional systems in the pursuit of solutions to climate change and the restoration of our oceans and landscapes.”

“We wanted to bring it all home to the Pacific, because our culture is here,” says navigator and PVS president Nainoa Thompson. “We know that the great systems of the planet are connected. We don’t have a number of different oceans. They’re all one.”

The Hōkūleʻa is a 62-foot waʻa kaulua, a double-hull voyaging canoe open to the elements. “While it helps that I’ve sailed her and understand how she works, in bad conditions you’re in survival mode,” says Captain Lehua Kamalu. Photograph By Paul Nicklen, National Geographic Image Collection

How to Follow the Hōkūleʻa

As Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia journey on the Moananuiākea Voyage, their paths will be tracked on Hokulea.com so anyone can follow along. The website will also post specific port dates throughout the journey.

From Alaska, the canoes sail along the west coasts of North and South America, through Polynesia and north along the West Pacific. Hōkūleʻa will then be shipped from Japan to Los Angeles to sail home to Hawaii. From there, it will voyage to Tahiti in the spring of 2027.

“The ocean will do what it wants,” says Kamalu. “Hōkūleʻa is an open vessel, so we’re highly exposed and there’s no way to hide from heavy weather. Your skin may be soggy for days.”

While the crew will most certainly face challenges along the way, the measure of success isn’t about how much hardship they can take, but what they’re responsible for—making sure that the next generation of wayfinders can take things even farther.

To that end, the Polynesian Voyaging Society has also launched Wa’a Honua, the Canoe for the Earth. The virtual global hub is meant to inspire people to become future navigators for the planet. “This voyage and its impacts reach far beyond the crew that sails,” says Kamalu.

Hōkūleʻa will likely be at sea for the canoe’s 50th anniversary, on May 1, 2026. But there’s no rush to get to a specific destination for that day. “The beauty of voyaging is not to go fast,” says Thompson. “It’s to go slow and take your time. You can’t look up at the stars and tell where you are. In this kind of navigation, you only know where you are by memorizing where you sailed from.”

[sjwallin]

Spotted a Hōkūleʻa (I think) out on the water :)

Kona, Hawaii

[ebelal56-blog]

Top Navigators Reveal the Secrets of Polynesian Wayfinding

Imagine standing on the edge of the vast Pacific Ocean, the horizon stretching endlessly before you, waves crashing rhythmically against your vessel. Now, picture this: you’re not equipped with any modern technology, no GPS, no compass, just the knowledge passed down through generations. This is the world of Polynesian navigation, or wayfinding, a remarkable tradition that has allowed people to traverse thousands of miles of open ocean with nothing but their understanding of the natural world. Let’s dive into the elements that made this incredible feat possible. First, we have the stars. At night, the sky transforms into a celestial map. Polynesian navigators memorized the rising and setting positions of stars, like Ke Ka o Makali'i, the five stars of Makali'i, and Hōkūleʻa, known to many of us as Arcturus. These stars were not just pretty dots in the sky; they were vital signposts. Imagine sailing through the darkness, the only light coming from the stars above, guiding you like a friend leading the way home. Navigators learned the paths of these stars so well that they could maintain their direction over vast distances, turning the night sky into a reliable compass. But what about during the day? That’s where the sun comes into play. By observing the sun's position at sunrise and sunset, navigators could gauge their east-west positioning. It’s fascinating to think about how something as simple as the sun could serve as a directional guide. When the stars were hidden by clouds or the sun had set, the navigators relied on the moon. The moon’s 29.5-day cycle wasn’t just a way to tell time; it helped predict tides and marked the passage of days. Can you imagine being out there for weeks, relying on the moon to keep your journey on track? It’s a beautiful reminder of how connected these navigators were to the rhythms of nature. Now, let’s talk about the ocean itself. The Pacific is no ordinary body of water; it’s a living entity. Polynesian navigators could feel the subtle changes in wave patterns and currents, clues that indicated their proximity to land. Islands disrupt these patterns, creating a kind of natural alarm system. Picture this: you’re sailing, and suddenly, the waves feel different. That’s not just a random occurrence; it’s nature telling you that land is near. It’s a skill that requires deep intuition and understanding, something that takes years to master.

[underzemilkyway]

She Sails the Seas Without Maps or Compasses | Podcast | Overheard at National Geographic

For nearly 50 years, a group of Hawaiians have been sailing on traditional voyaging canoes using the methods that early Polynesian explorers relied on to navigate the Pacific Ocean—without maps and modern instruments, and relying on the stars, ocean waves, birds, and other natural elements to guide them. We meet National Geographic Explorer Lehua Kamalu, the first woman to captain a long-distance voyage on Hōkūleʻa, a double-hulled Polynesian canoe that was built in Hawaii in the 1970s. She describes what it’s like to navigate in incredibly rough waters, what it means to keep Polynesian navigation alive in the 21st century, and about her next big adventure: a four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean.

Caption: Lehua Kamalu on voyaging canoe Hikianalia as it approaches the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco during the California Voyage in 2018.

Credit: Photograph by Hye Jung Kim/Polynesian Voyaging Society, National Geographic

[freehawaii]

KE AUPUNI UPDATE - JUNE 2024

A Pacific Celebration… Hawaii is currently hosting a massive ten-day event called the Pacific Festival of the Arts and Culture (FestPac), bringing together delegations of artists, dancers, musicians and cultural practitioners from 28 Pacific Island nations celebrating the peoples of Moananuiakea (the Pacific Islands), Polynesians, Micronesians, Melanesians and Austronesians. The prelude to FestPac was the gathering of the famous voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa, and dozens of her offspring since being launched at Kualoa 49 years ago. Just as ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’ Hōkūleʻa had a profound impact in awakening not only the voyaging traditions but raising up the strength, skills, spirit and dignity of peoples of the Pacific. That was evident as thousands gathered to welcome and celebrate the crews and builders of these amazing vessels, like those that our ancestors used to shrink the vast reaches of their watery home. On June 6, the opening ceremonies of FestPac welcomed the most amazing parade of the myriad faces, smiles, sounds, dances and regalia of our Pacific Islands ʻOhana (family). The festival continues for the next 7 days at the Hawaii Convention Center with presentations, seminars, and discussions of the issues facing Pasifika. Also, in the exhibition hall there is a fantastical village featuring the cultures of the various islands. To register to attend this event go to: www.FestPacHawaii.org   This is the 13th FestPac, and the first time it is being hosted by Hawaii… that is, the “State of Hawaii, USA”. Governor Josh Green is the official host. The huge budget for this massive event comes from the State and its agencies, the US Federal government, US non-profit organizations, American businesses, etc. The organizers of FestPac fastidiously steered clear of any mention that this is really the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, not the State of Hawaii, USA. As the U.S. presumes to be the gatekeeper to determine who could come and go from our country (the Hawaiian Kingdom), all “foreign” delegations, and participants had to go through stringent U.S. Customs, FBI and Homeland Security clearance to enter the “US State of Hawaii”. It's okay, though, because now we have a great template for the next time we have an international celebration of such magnitude — the celebration of the restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

“Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani ---------- Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono. The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness. ------ For the latest news and developments about our progress at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, tune in to Free Hawaii News at 6 PM the first Friday of each month on ʻ��lelo Television, Channel 53. ------ "And remember, for the latest updates and information about the Hawaiian Kingdom check out the twice-a-month Ke Aupuni Updates published online on Facebook and other social media." PLEASE KŌKUA… Your kōkua, large or small, is vital to this effort... To contribute, go to:   • GoFundMe – CAMPAIGN TO FREE HAWAII • PayPal – use account email: info@HawaiianKingdom.net • Other – To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, volunteer services, etc...) email us at: info@HawaiianKingdom.net All proceeds are used to help the cause. MAHALO! Malama Pono,

Leon Siu

Hawaiian National

[claremontianwoman]

List five things that make you happy, then put this in the ask box of the last ten people who reblogged something from you. Spread the positivity!!

(in no particular order) 1) My friends and family 2) Anything with cinnamon and sugar 3) Indigenous boating traditions from around the world (thinking about the Hōkūleʻa right now 😍) 4) Aroace representation 5) (Claremont's) X-Men

[mayberrycryptid]

@lukeclvez talking about music, Hōkūleʻa or Star of Gladness, is one of those songs that most kids growing up in Hawai’i learn. I think its secretly one of Steve’s favorite songs, and is one of the few pieces of his childhood that still brings him happiness when he hears it.

for some kind of cases, steve will need a little extra help getting into the right headspace, and he'll sit back and listen to classical music (divertimento in d major by mozart, to be exact), and one day he lets it slip while in the car with danny, who has an absolute field day with this new information

[noaasanctuaries]

In 1980, Nainoa Thompson became the first Native Hawaiian in 600 years to use wayfinding – non-instrument navigation – to sail a traditional Hawaiian waʻa kaulua (double-hulled sailing canoe) to Tahiti and back. He learned this ancient skill from master navigator Mau Piailug of Satawal, Micronesia. 

The voyage of Hōkūleʻa and the crews that sailed it helped spark a renaissance of Hawaiian language and culture. Since then, Hōkūleʻa has sailed around the world, visiting over 150 ports across 18 nations to spread a message of Mālama Honua (caring for Island Earth). Nainoa and a small group of other master navigators continue to train new generations of wayfinders, using the islands of Nihoa and Mokumanamana in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument as training grounds for apprentices readying themselves to lead crews on long, open ocean voyages beyond the Hawaiian archipelago. 

(Photo: Brad Ka‘aleleo Wong/Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Image description: The island of Nihoa as seen from aboard the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hikianalia, sister canoe to Hōkūleʻa.)

[73ghosts]

I was talking to my sister about my unrealistic life dream, and she was like "you should vlog that! You'd be such a good youtuber." My love, no. The extent of my social media usage is my niche aesthetic blog on tumblr.com and my 50 follower private instagram

[dayseternal-blog]

It's AAPI month! Any piece of media (book, show, movie, podcast...) to recommend us?

😄 Yes!

Films:

The Farewell, Directed by Lulu Wang - Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) reluctantly returns to Changchun to find that, although the whole family knows their beloved matriarch, Nai-Nai, has been given mere weeks to live, everyone has decided not to tell Nai Nai herself.

The characters are funny, heartwarming, and believable. The cinematography is moving. My older sister cried in the theatre and has re-watched it several times. ...my family is not Chinese, but my husband is half!

Wayfinders: A Pacific Odyssey, Directed by Gail K. Evenari - This award-winning PBS documentary sweeps viewers into a seafaring adventure with a community of Polynesians, as they build traditional sailing canoes, learn how to follow the stars across the open ocean, and embark upon a 2,000-mile voyage in the wake of their ancestors.

Papa Mau: The Wayfinder, Directed by Nāʻālehu Anthony - Papa Mau: The Wayfinder is a feature-length documentary that takes a retrospective look at the influence of Mau Piailug, a native from the tiny Micronesian atoll of Satawal, on reviving the art of non-instrument navigation in Polynesia. In Satawal, navigators are chosen at birth and begin training at an early age, and Mau was recognized as a master.

Moananuiākea: One Ocean, One People, One Canoe, Directed by Nāʻālehu Anthony - Moananuiākea is a feature-length documentary film telling the story of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage of legendary canoe Hōkūleʻa. The three-year voyage connected countless individuals and communities from around the globe. Purchase it on Blu-Ray here.

I highly, highly recommend watching these documentaries and watching them in this order. They're online! Wayfinders is a 1-hour brief history of this significant part of the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance in the 1970s, the preceding Western skepticism of Polynesian navigation, historical Polynesian cultural genocide, and the difficulties in reconnecting with the lost art of wayfinding. Mau Piailug is mentioned in the first documentary, but Papa Mau dives deeper into this amazing Micronesian man and how none of this could have happened without his patience and passion. Moananuiākea documents the results of unbelievable hard work to circumnavigate the globe using traditional techniques. It's about the next generation of navigators, environmental advocacy, and a celebration of indigenous cultures and pride around the world.

Books:

Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, & Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan - Chinese-American Rachel Chu travels with her boyfriend Nick Young to his home in Singapore for his best friend's wedding. Unknown to her, Nick not only belongs to one of the top ten wealthiest families in Asia but is possibly the sole heir to his family's great fortune.

I've watched the movie many times, and it's WONDERFULLY FUN, and yet the books are even better! The narrator is really funny, the side characters get a ton more interesting (particularly Colin Khoo and Kitty Pong). China Rich Girlfriend focuses more on Astrid, her husband Michael, and her ex-fiance Charlie.

The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir by Kao Kalia Yang - Yang recounts her family's escape into Thailand during the Vietnam War, their immigration to America, and the challenges they faced adapting to a new place and language.

This was a required text before going to college, and it was definitely one of the best books I have ever read in my life. I met the author at a guest speaker college event, and she is one of the most beautiful people I have ever been blessed to hear and see. I couldn't believe her handle of language...it was like spoken poetry yet she was really just talking.

I have much more stuff I could recommend, but that's enough. Seriously, if you watched and enjoyed the Disney movie Moana, then you should watch the wayfinding documentaries.

[mauitime]

An Evening with Nainoa Thompson: Mālama Honua at Historic Iao Theater 

Attend An Evening with Nainoa Thompson: Mālama Honua at Historic Iao Theater on Tuesday, October 8th. Presented by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, guests can learn more from Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. He’ll discuss the Polynesian art of non-instrument navigation, and more about Hōkūleʻa’s global Mālama Honua (Care for Island Earth) Voyage. $10. 6pm. Historic…

[fudoshin09]

They are arriving this Saturday, June 17 in #honolulu ! #wayfinding #hokulea #hōkūleʻa #polynesian #austronesian #oceania #aloha

[puredigitalmaui]

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A post shared by Aldo Tassara Bermeo ♈️♎️ #MyLifeBeLike (@puredigitalmedia)

#RapaNui Bound 💪🏽😉🤙🏽🌺🌊🌸🏄🏽🐟🐬🌴 #Hōkūleʻa is now on her way to Rapa Nui. Here's an update from crewmember LehuaKamalu. #Repost @hokuleawwv with @repostapp See more at the link in our bio! ... #MalamaHonua #HokuleaWWV #RapaNui (at Easter Island/Rapa Nui)