Moananuiākea: A Voyage for Oceans, A Voyage for Earth, 2023 to 2027
Moananuiākea is Hōkūleʻa’s 15th major voyage in her first 50 years. At the core of Hōkūleʻa’s creation was exploration – to uncover, recover, and reclaim. Reclaim our culture, traditions, and our relationship to home and our island earth. Moananuiākea is no different, but we are now guided by what the worldwide voyage told us – that we must deepen our values in the voyage and move from exploration and understanding to mālama, or caring, and kuleana, or taking responsibility. With those values, we must move discovery toward choices and actions that we believe will help build a future good enough for our children. This is our most difficult voyage yet because the destination is not ours. It will be the most difficult island yet to find, because it is the future of island earth.
“Moananuiākea is not about dividing the earth and the five oceans. It’s about looking at the vastness of the oceans of earth.”
Overview
A 43,000 nautical miles, 47-month circumnavigation of the Pacific by traditional Polynesian voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia and 400 crew to 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 indigenous territories, and 345 ports.
Purpose
To ignite a movement of 10 million “planetary navigators” who will pursue critical and inspiring “voyages” to ensure a better future for the earth. We do so by developing young leaders and engaging communities around the world while amplifying the vital importance of our oceans, nature, science and indigenous wisdom. PVS and Pacific voyaging leadership are identifying important cultural, educational and environmental sites to visit during the Voyage. Each leg will have a specific purpose and lead to our ultimate goal of connecting Pacific communities for collective action around common challenges and a shared sustainable destiny.
Regional Sail Plan
(subject to change)
June to September 2023 – Alaska, British Columbia, Seattle
September to November 2023 – West Coast of the United States
January to February 2024 – Mexico, Central America, South America
March to December 2024 – Exploring the largest country in the world, our
country, Polynesia
December 2024 to May 2025 – New Zealand
May to March 2026 – Melanesia, Micronesia and Palau
March to September 2026 – West Pacific, ending in Japan
September to December 2026 – Shipping from Japan to Los Angeles then sailing
home to Hawaiʻi
Spring 2027 – Tahiti
The Third Canoe, Waʻa Honua (Canoe for the Earth)
Through technology and broad partnerships, PVS is creating a virtual “Third Canoe,” which will serve as an infinite extension of Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia at sea. Named Waʻa Honua (Canoe for the Earth), www.waahonua.com, this third canoe will bring together millions who are united around the belief that we must make better choices for a future that values differences, a healthier planet, and connection. This virtual global hub will be powered by storytelling and education: videos, blogging, educational resources, and virtual reality, connecting people around Indigenous values and shared humanity. PVS’ educational partners are developing learning modules and lessons that will be targeted to specific teachers and students of various ages and grade levels. The goal is for Waʻa Honua to reach and inspire learners of all ages from every part of the globe to become future navigators for the earth.
Visit WA‘A HONUA: Inspiring Navigators of the Future
Desired Outcome:
“To get people to care for and make better choices for the earth”
The voyage itself is a global educational campaign to help millions of people understand how life systems on earth work, the significant role oceans play in those systems, and ultimately to malama (care) and take kuleana (responsibility) for these systems, the oceans, nature and earth, because they determine our children’s future. If we care about the earth, we will protect it. Action on the ground is what we want to learn about and share through storytelling and educational content created with and by our partners. We hope to enhance, accelerate and amplify the good work that is already happening through the lens of voyaging.