Happy 41st Birthday, Hōkūleʻa!
On March 8, the iconic deep-sea voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa celebrates her 41st birthday!
Our master navigators use the stars, waves, winds, and birds to find their way, following in the wake of their ancestors. Hōkūleʻa has journeyed more than 150,000 miles over the past 41 years, and a new generation of navigators is sailing around the world to explore how people and communities are working to Mālama Honua – care for our Island Earth.
We need your support to keep us voyaging – please visit www.hokulea.com/donate/ to help.
Happy Birthday Hōkūleʻa message from pwo navigator Kālepa Baybayan
He lā kupaianaha kēia no Hōkūle’a – Today is an amazing day for Hōkūleʻa
Written by Noelani KamaluHe lā kupaianaha kēia no Hōkūle’a, no ka poʻe Hawai’i, a no ka po’e a mākou e kipa ana. Kanahākūmākahi makahiki aku nei, ua hānau ‘ia he wa’a, a ma o ia hānau ‘ana i ala hou ai ka mauli o ka po’e Hawai’i. I ka lā ‘ewalu o Malaki, i ka makahiki 1975, ua lana mua ʻo Hōkūle’a ma Hakipu’u, ma O’ahu. Ma muli o ia ho’olana ‘ana, a me kekahi mau hana kupaianaha a’e o ia wā, ua ho’okumu hou ‘ia ka ha’aheo o ka Hawai’i. Ma muli o ua mau mea, ua hele au i ke kula kaiapuni i ku’u wā e kamali’i ana, a ua a’o au i ka ‘ōlelo a me nā mea Hawai’i. No laila, nui ko’u aloha a mahalo no ka wa’a ʻo Hōkūle’a, a me nā po’e i ‘ike i ke ko’iko’i a ke kupaianaha o ia wa’a. He kanahākūmākahi makahiki o ko Hōkūle’a mālama ‘ana iā kākou ma ka moana a me ka ‘āina, a mau nō kona a’o ‘ana iā kākou i ko kākou kuleana ma kēia honua nei. Ma o Hōkūleʻa mākou i huakaʻi hele ai he kaukani a ʻoi mile a i kipa ai i nā ʻāina a kanaka mai ʻō a ʻō. He wahi hoʻomanaʻo kēia no ka mana kupaianaha o Hōkūleʻa i hoʻohuipū mai ai iā kākou ma kēia mokupuni Honua nei he hoʻokahi ʻohana like.
Today is a special day for Hōkūleʻa, for the people of Hawai’i, and the people of the world that we visit. Forty one years ago, a wa’a (canoe) was born, and consequently, the people of Hawai’i were reborn. On March 8, 1975, Hōkūleʻa was first launched at Hakipu’u, on O’ahu. As a result of her launching, and other important events during that time, the pride of many Hawaiians was reinvigorated. Because of that time, I had the privilege of attending a Hawaiian immersion school when I was young and learning to both speak Hawaiian and about being Hawaiian. So, I have a deep aloha and appreciation for Hōkūleʻa, and her first courageous crewmembers who were able to understand the importance of her. Sailing on Hōkūleʻa has been a lifelong dream of mine, so I cherish every moment that I am able to spend with her. Forty one years later, Hōkūleʻa continues to care for us, both on and off the wa’a, and continues to teach us more about both who we are and what our place is in this world. She has carried us thousands of miles from home, yet her presence and her mana seems to resonate with people all over the world who embrace Hōkūleʻa and her crew like family, which reinforces the idea that home is not so far because we are all home on this island Earth that we share.
Crossing North
After a 20-month sojourn in oceans south of the equator, Hōkūleʻa has returned to the northern hemisphere in the blue waters of the Atlantic. Please, help celebrate our crew by supporting their journey.
