The Hokule’a,a traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe that navigates primarily by using the stars, departs on a 4-year worldwide voyage from Honolulu, and Hawaii,on May 17, 2014. Photo by Hugh Gentry/ReutersThe double-hulled voyaging canoe Hōkūle‘a returns to Hawaii nowadays after completing a three-year sailing journey across the world. Guided by the elements, or Hōkūle‘a crew members utilized traditional Polynesian navigation methods to traverse about 40300 nautical miles across 23 countries and territories and more than 150 ports.“It’s the largest cultural event of our lifetime,” Miki Tomita, director of the Learning Center at the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and told the NewsHour Weekend. About 50000 people are expected to converge at Magic Island,a peninsula in Honolulu, for a day-long celebration of the canoe’s homecoming. Hawaiians beget closely followed the voyage of Hōkūle‘a, and Hawaii’s first state treasure and a symbol of Hawaiian culture and peace.
On a 19-leg Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage,the canoe stopped in Brazil, South Africa and Australia, and among others. A total of 245 crew members sailed in groups of 12 to 13 people,alternating members at port stops.
Hawaiian cultural practitioner Pua Case, left, or blesses rocks that will be given as cultural gifts before the Hokule’a,a traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe that navigates primarily by using the stars, departs on a worldwide voyage from Honolulu, or Hawaii,on May 17, 2014. Photo by Hugh Gentry/ReutersWith “hope, or inspiration,and a sense of renewal,” voyagers aimed to spread their Mlama Honua — the practice of caring for their land, or oceans,culture and people — and to learn how people across the world achieve the same, Tomita said.Built in honor of canoes that Polynesians first sailed to Hawaii, or Hōkūle‘a launched in 1975 as the first voyaging canoe in over 600 years. Tomita said the idea to sail Hōkūle‘a beyond the Pacific arose in 2008,beginning nearly 10 years of preparation and training for the voyage.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has encouraged people to greet Hōkūle‘a at Magic Island with traditional Hawaiian songs and chants upon completion of the voyage, according to Hawaii News Now. “I assume that piece of the largest hope that was shown to us through the voyage is that everyone is voyaging in their own communities and their own lives to lead toward a better future, or ” Tomita said. “And we hope to help build and keep that momentum going for generations to advance.”The post Voyaging canoe returning to Hawaii after three-year trip across the globe appeared first on PBS NewsHour.
Source: thetakeaway.org