Hauʻoli Lā Hānau iā Hōkūleʻa!
Celebrating Four and a Half Decades of Voyaging
On this day, all of us here at Polynesian Voyaging Society give thanks for the growing legacy Hōkūle’a has helped inspire amongst Hawaiians, Polynesians, indigenous cultures and all of us here and around the world striving to care for the places we love. Hōkūleʻa is indeed the culmination of the hopes, dreams, and hard work of all of you… The ʻohana that is the life force behind this cultural icon. Thank you for being a part of this journey!
“We sail on the belief that at the commonness of all of us is a people who care about their children, care about their home and they care about a world that they deliver to their next generation. That’s our fundamental belief and so we sail for it.” – Nainoa Thompson.
It was March 8, 1975, and the first time in over 400 years that a traditional Hawaiian wa‘a kaulua (double-hulled voyaging canoe) was birthed from Hawaiʻi shores. From the sacred beaches of Kāne‘ohe Bay on Oʻahu, Hōkūle‘a, meaning “Star of Gladness,” first launched her historical journey that would initially build momentum for a powerful Hawaiian cultural renaissance and continue to this day 45 years later, as a global movement to mālama honua, to care for our Island Earth.
Hōkūleʻa greeted by thousands as she arrives in Tahiti in 1976
Hōkūleʻa has voyaged traditionally since 1975, sailing over 150,000 nautical miles throughout the Pacific. Along with the resurgence of traditional voyaging and navigation came a renewal of Hawaiian language, dance, chant, and other expressions of Hawaiian culture. Between 1975-2000, Hōkūle‘a sailed on six major voyages from Hawai‘i, at the apex of the Polynesian triangle, to Aotearoa (New Zealand) at the southwestern corner, and finally to Rapa Nui, at the southeastern corner. Her travels inspired a revival of canoe building and voyaging throughout the Pacific Ocean.
The Worldwide Voyage began in 2013 with a Mālama Hawaiʻi sail throughout our own archipelago, and continued on to circumnavigate the globe through 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. June of 2017 marked her historic homecoming to Hawaiʻi capping the global portion of the voyage.
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After returning to Hawaii in the fall of 2017, Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia continued to sail around the Hawaiian Islands, a voyage known as the Māhalo, Hawaiʻi Sail, to reconnect with local communities and schools and to share stories and lessons learned on the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage.
“If you have a dream, believe in it. Recognize that it’s worth it to take the path, but keep understanding that dream, that destination, is not about reaching the destination, it’s about the journey.” – Nainoa Thompson
As we look ahead, we wish for Hōkūle’a to continue her voyage of inspiration and hope for generations to come! Mahalo for your aloha and continued support!
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