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Hōkūleʻa prepares for her journey to Wellington, Aotearoa.

We extend our aloha and mahalo to our ʻohana throughout the Pacific and across the world who have voyaged with Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia in 2014.

A love and respect for ʻāina or place is tied to an aloha for ʻohana… ties that are more than evident here in Waimea, home to the voyaging canoe Makaliʻi that was built by some of Hōkūleʻa’s original crewmembers. And now their own children are training even younger voyagers, who are well-connected to and care deeply for this place.

Since her launch in 1975, Hōkūleʻa has inspired these new waʻa communities, not only here in Hawaiʻi, but throughout all of Polynesia.

As Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia set sail on their most ambitious voyage, crewmembers are actively working to ensure that the impact they make onboard the canoe are affecting people around the world.

In addition to the navigator and apprentice navigators… each of the other crewmembers carry specific roles on board – there is a captain, watch captains, a safety officer, quarter master and cook just to name a few – all of whom have been training long and hard for this voyage.

Nearly 40 years ago, the founders of the Polynesian Voyaging Society dreamed of rebuilding a double-hulled canoe similar to those of our ancestors. And on March 8th, 1975 Hōkūleʻa was born. Birthed in the waters of Hakipuʻu.

As their mālama honua journey throughout the Pacific comes to a close the crews made time to mālama the waʻa that have sustained them – over 3,500 miles thus far!