Voyage to Miloli'i by Navigator Chad Baybayan

Thoughts on Hokule'a's Education Efforts

An ancient canoe sails along the coast of moku o Hawai'i and its volcanic fire.

(Painting by Herb Kawanui Kane)

Hokule'a departed Hilo Friday evening for Miloli'i, we towed throughout the night and sailed in the morning along the scenic cliffs of Hawai'i island's Ka'u coastline. We were treated to a spectacular sight early Saturday morning as lava flowed down the side of a cliff making its way down the steep slope and eventually emptying into the sea. The full moon added to the beauty of natures display, plumes of sulfur filled the night sky as we peered into the red glow of a growing island.

As Hokule'a sails around the state sharing Polynesia's rich seafaring heritage and the voyaging themes of self-sufficiency, sustainability, stewardship, and quiet leadership with students and local communities, it is perhaps a good time to reflect on the accomplishments of a generation of voyaging. The Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS), through its numerous voyages has educated and inspired many communities to be proactive in preserving both the cultural and natural resources of their islands, while having the vision to identify and practice the values important to sustaining oneself within the limits of a closed ecosystem by using the metaphor of canoe, island, and planet, each isolated by the sea and space that surrounds them.

The appeal of these lessons have lead to the institutionalization of PVS¹ programs into many of our high schools and colleges. Starting in the fall 2001 semester, a navigation class will be offered at the University of Hawaiÿi at Hilo, joining courses already in place at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Windward Communtiy College, and Kaua'i Community College. Currently there are voyaging canoes under construction on Maui and Kaua'i, a third canoe is currently being designed to support education programs at the Hawaiian language college at U.H. Hilo and the laboratory Hawaiian language intermediate/high school, Nawahiokalani'opu'u, at Kea'au on Hawai'i island.

These various independent projects are being lead by members of the PVS who have found a way to use their voyaging experience to make positive contributions to their communities. Today, a full generation after Hokule'a's first voyage, the fruits of 25 years are beginning to manifest itself in the educational opportunities available to our youth. The themes of self-sufficiency, sustainability, stewardship, and quiet leadership are too important to our collective survival not to take time to share within our communities.

As we continue to sail around the state we will speak to these issues using the examples of these voyaging themes to students visiting the canoe and in our townhall discussions. We will encourage our communities to join us in promoting a vision that cares for land, sea, and people using sound values that build collaboration and caring to direct the internal compass of the wayfinder within us.