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2007 Voyage to Micronesia and Japan

A Celebration of Pacific Voyaging, Cultures, and Islands

Hokule‘a and Kama Hele arrived in Yokohama on June 9, 2007, culminating a five-month, 9,570 mile journey that expanded the boundaries of Hokule'a's world and created new stories from new experiences. The journey began on January 11, 2007 with Hokule'a and Kama Hele departing from Honolulu for Kawaihae on the Big Island, from where she left for the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau, places she had never been before, but with which she had developed cultural ties and relationships. Photo left: Hokule‘a sailing out of Kawaihae, January 19, 2007, by Kathy Thompson.

On the first half of the journey, named Ku Holo Mau ("Sail On, Sail Always, Sail Forever") Hokule‘a was accompanied by the voyaging canoe Alingano Maisu, a gift for Navigator Mau Piailug for his achievement and teachings throughout the Pacific, which fostered a revival of traditional voyaging and navigation and created a family of Pacific voyagers. Built under the leadership of Clay Bertelmann and Na Kalai Wa‘a Moku o Hawai“i at Mau’s request, Alingano Maisu was delivered to Mau’s home island of Satawal to enable Mau’s ‘ohana to perpetuate his centuries old voyaging traditions. Photo right: Maisu and Hokule’a, by Mike Taylor.

An unexpected gift of this visit to Satawal was Mau's initiation of five Hawaiians along with eleven Micronesians into pwo, an acknowledgement of their knowledge, achievements, and ability to serve their people as navigators. The five Hawaiians--Chad Baybayan, Shorty Bertelmann, Bruce Blankenfeld, Chadd Paishon, and Nainoa Thompson served as captains and navigators during the 2007 Voyages to Micronesia and Japan. Photo left: Mau’s five Hawaiian graduates on Satawal, by Sam Low. For Sam’s photos and account of Satawal, see Ku Holo Mau.

On the second half of the journey, named Ku Holo La Komohana (“Sail On to the Western Sun”), Hokule‘a sailed from Yap to Okinawa, then onward to Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu for cultural exchanges. The canoe was shipped back to Hawai‘i from Yokohama. Photo right: Hokule‘a sailng into Yokohama.

For journal entries, photos, and maps of the voyage, see the 2007 Weblog: One Ocean, One People: Voyage to Micronesia and Japan. A Japanese Language Version of the PVS 2007 Voyages Weblog is available at aloha-street.com.

Google Map of the 2007 voyage, courtesy of Michael Shintani.

Sponsors of the 2007 Voyages

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