Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 7, 1 July 2006 — MUSICAL Voyage [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MUSICAL Voyage

It's hard to believe that three decades have passed already since the crew of the beloved double-hulled eanoe Hōkūle 'a first sailed from Hawai'i to Tahiti and back, using only nature's elements to navigate. Since then, Hōkūle 'a has traveled throughout the Pacific, helping to spark the Hawaiian renaissance and inspiring the creation of an entire fleet of voyaging canoes. "Hōkūle'a was born out of an extraordinarily powerful

vision," said Nāinoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) and a crewmember aboard Hōkūle'a'& 1976 return trip to Hawai'i. "[PVS founders] Herb Kāne, Ben Finney and Tommy Hohnes saw a destination that the average person would never imagine - to build a voyaging eanoe, sail it to Tahiti ... and to bring back dignity and honor to our ancestors, who were arguably the greatest explorers on the face of

the earth. It was the awakening, and for so many of us, it captured our imagination." This summer marks the 30th anniversary of that historic Tahiti voyage, and PVS is celebrating with a benefit event on Iuly 8 at San Souci Beach in WaikM. Visitors will be able to meet some of the canoe's original crewmembers and tour Hōkūle'a itself. In the evening, the legendary Beach Boys will headline a concert at the Waikīkl

Shell, whieh will also feature Amy Hānaiali'i Oilliom, Ken Makuakāne and the Hōkūle'a all-star band performing songs composed for the eanoe over the years. Proceeds will help fund future PVS projects. □

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