Navigating the World

They sail with no charts or instruments. No timepiece. No compass. They navigate as their ancestors did, guided by a world of natural signs—the arcing stars, sun, and moon; the signs of direction in swell and wind and current. Two voyaging canoes, the Hokule’a and Hikianalia departed Hawai’i on such a journey at the end of May. About 28 days later they had reached Tahiti. The journey will continue as these two double-hulled canoes sail to Australia, the Indian Ocean, round the Horn of Africa, make numerous port in the Mediterranean, cross the Atlantic Ocean and bring their message to the continents of North and South America before returning home to Hawai’i. The Hawaiian name for this voyage, Mālama Honua, means ‘to care for our Earth’.

I had the fortunate opportunity to be present for a Hawaiian blessing ceremony in Hilo, Hawai’i as the Hokule’a and  Hikianalia