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Ten Themes of Learning--What We Focus On

Hokule'a was launched a quarter of a century ago, on March 8, 1975, at Kualoa Regional Park in Kane'ohe Bay. Since then, the decades of exploration, recovery of Polynesian voyaging traditions, and work with communities across the Pacific has taught the Voyaging Society the importance of the following ten themes:

Vision-- Given the enormous changes that our islands face in the 21st century, we must form a collective vision of what we want our future to look like, and how we will reach that vision. Our Sacred Earth--Balancing human needs and nature was one of the greatest accomplishments of the Hawaiian people, and recreating this balance in modern times is one of our greatest challenges.
Exploration--Exploring and learning about the world around us are essential to finding solutions to the difficult issues facing us today. Our History & Heritage, Our Traditions & Culture--These precious inheritances define who we are, where we come from, and why we should be proud.
Our Pacific 'Ohana--One of humanity's greatest needs is to feel a sense of kinship with other people, and establish caring relationships with one another. Our 'Opio and Kupuna--We recognize the vital importance of early childhood care and education, and the need to treat our elders with respect and dignity.
Family--From healthy families come healthy communities. Education--The key to perpetuating values and culture and preparing ourselves to face the challenges of the future.
The Health & Education of Our First People--Hawaiian culture and values are vital to shaping a healthy future for Hawai'i. Our Special Multi-ethnic Community and Culture--Hawai'i's contribution to global peace.

All of these themes are about our relationship to nature and to one another. As we approach the 21st century it is critical, now more than ever, that we learn to live well on islands, caring and respecting each other and all living things. The Polynesian Voyaging Society believes that we need to stay focused on these ten themes in order to contribute to a healthy future for these islands.