Have you ever heard of a hokule’a canoe? The hōkūle’a was restored by the Polynesian Nautical Society in 1975 to revive this art of navigation. Hokulea, which means “star of happiness” in Hawaiian, is constructed without using nails, and all parts are tied together with ropes.
It is believed that humans arrived in Hawaii from Polynesia more than 1,000 years ago. They arrived in Hawaii without a compass, and they used nature to read signs from the movement of the moon, sun, stars, and other celestial bodies, wind, clouds, ocean swells, and sea birds.
This traditional art of sailing, once lost to tradition, was revived with the birth of Hōkūle’a. Hōkūle’a made its maiden voyage on March 8, 1975, from Kualoa in Kaneohe Bay on O’ahu. On March 8, 50 years later, the “50th Anniversary of Hokulea/16th Annual Kualoa Hakipuu Canoe Festival” was held in Kualoa.
To celebrate Hokulea’s 50-year voyage around the world in pursuit of a sustainable world in harmony with nature, fostering cultural transmission, respect for nature and the earth, and caring for each other, the event was held at Kualoa Regional Park, where past crew members, voyagers, cultural practitioners, educators, and the community that has supported the mission of Hokulea The community that has supported Hokulea’s mission gathered at Kualoa Regional Park.
Among the crew are Japanese women, as Tamiko Fanelius, a crew member on the 2017 round-the-world voyage, told me in a previous interview when I asked her about Hokulea’s sailing techniques.
With no engine and no rudder, the Hokulea sails under the force of the wind. If there is no wind, we wait until the wind comes. We change course with a large paddle and balance ourselves on the sails. The stars and the direction in which the sun rises and sets are used as clues to determine direction, and latitude is measured by the height of the North Star and other stars from the horizon. If we cannot see the stars, we rely on the undulations of the waves to determine our direction, but in total darkness we can only feel the undulations with our bodies.
One year after her birth in 1975, Hokulea successfully completed her first voyage on the open ocean, departing from Hawaii and taking one month to reach Tahiti. This was the first voyage by traditional navigation in 600 years.
We have talked to Kanako Uchino, the first Japanese female crew member, about their mission. She became a Hokule’a crewmember in 2000 and studied under Mau Piailugu, who taught Hawai’i the traditional art of navigation, and participated in the historic voyage from Hawai’i to Japan in 2007.
‘Hokulea’s mission is to care for the earth. The earth sounds too big to be true, but we are aware of it first and foremost in our home of canoeing. Each of you will make your home a more pleasant place in your life. When one person’s concern spreads, it becomes a big power, so Hokulea asks at each port of call, “Are you also taking care of your home? at each port of call.
Tamiko told me the exact same thing. Tamiko said, “We believe that we can live a life of caring for each other in a canoe on an island, and it is the same on an island called Earth. Our idea is that it is the same on an island called Earth. The women stay at ports of call around the world and visit schools to conduct educational activities and cultural exchanges.
The Polynesian Voyaging Society states that the purpose of its activities is “to pass on the traditional art of Hawaiian voyaging and to pass on to future generations the importance of environmental conservation, cultural heritage, and caring for each other while sailing around the world. With this mission, Hokule’a has sailed more than 250,000 nautical miles from Hawai’i to the Pacific islands, to Japan, and around the world.
On the day of Hokule’a’s 50th anniversary, Hokule’a arrived off the coast of Kualoa at 8:00 am. A sacred Hawaiian ceremony was held.
The 50th anniversary program began at 9:00 a.m., with a two-hour celebration that included hula dances inspired by the stories of Tahiti and Hawaii and greetings from Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Association and a voyageur who had participated in the first voyage of Hokulea.
In fact, in 2023, Hokulea and her sister canoe, Hikianalia, set sail on the Moana Nuiakea Voyage, a Pacific Rim voyage scheduled to last until 2027. She called the massive wildfires on Maui that occurred during the voyage “a disaster on our home turf,” and added, “Lahaina is the prime mover of the ocean. Maui is calling. We need the warmth of Hokule’a,” he commented, and returned to Hawai’i. This voyage will continue to be challenged, and the final destination is Japan.
Hokule’a is a source of pride for those of us who live in Hawai’i and a symbol of the aloha spirit. It was widely reported in the local media and broadcast live. We will continue to watch and support the event.
All of the activities of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, including repair work on Hokule’a and the implementation of educational programs, are funded by volunteers and donations. The 50th anniversary T-shirts and other merchandise sold at this commemorative event sold so well that there was a huge line. This action was nothing short of aloha for the people of Hawaii, who knew that sales would lead to support.
© Source travel watch
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.