Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 3, 1 March 1985 — Hokuleʻa Readied for 27-Month Voyage [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hokuleʻa Readied for 27-Month Voyage

The Hokule'a, whieh twice successfully retraced migration routes of ancient Polynesians between Tahiti and Hawaii, will make a "Voyage of Rediscovery" during a 27-month, 16,000mile circumnavigation of the central and western Pacific in July. Hawaii's legendary double-hulled eanoe will sail to eight island groups, includingthe Tuamotus, Tahiti, Raiatea, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and the Marquesas. These plans were unveiled at a Feb. 4 news conference by Myron (Pinky) Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and a Bishop Estate trustee. The scene was Pier 19 where the Hokule'a, built several years ago, is being eompletely overhauled. The first two voyages of Hokule'a (1976 and 1980) were eaeh of two months' duration. This upcoming voyage is eomplex and ambitious and the 16,000 miles on a straight line would be two-thirds the way around the earth. Overall budget for this project, including operation, documentation and educational programs, is $1 million. The Society has already reached one-half of its goal with pledges from the Hawaii Maritime Center, the 1984 Hawaii State Legislature, Alexander Gerbode Foundation and individual contributions. To help make up the remainder of the budget, a benefit concert is scheduled Sunday, Mar. 17, at Aloha Tower Piers 9 and 10. Additional fund-raising projects are in active planning stages. On this "Voyage of Rediscovery," Thompson said the Hokule'a will first sail into the Central Pacific (Cook Islands) and then will retrace the route to New Zealand. lt will then be north to Samoa via Fiji, retracing the route to Eastern Polynesia. The concluding leg will be retracing the voyage of Hawaii's fhrst Polynesian settlers, from the Marquesas to Hawaii. The voyage will require training more than 65 crew members, 12 of whom will be used for eaeh leg of the trip. Thompson said there will be eight crew changes. Eaeh crew will be used for not more than 35 days.

Captain Gordon Piianaia and Navigators Nainoa Thompson and Mau Piailug will make the entire trip. Thompson, son of the Society's president, and Piailug were navigators on the Hokule'a's earlier voyages. Both trips were made without navigational instruments and it will be the same for the upcoming two-year journey. The 1976 voyage added weight to archaeological work whieh revealed the Polynesians as purposeful voyagers and colonizers of the Pacific islands. In the 1980 voyage, Nainoa Thompson developed his system of non-instrument navigation following extensive training

with Micronesian Mau Piailug and Will Kyselka of the Bishop Museum Planetarium. There were all on hand for the news conference. Myron Thompson noted that "our Polynesian ancestors began crossing the oceans over 3,000 years ago — 1,000 years before the birth of Christ." Goals of the upcoming voyage have been categorized into three segments — scientific, cultural, educationcil. The goals are to: Scientific • Retrieve and reconstruct knowledge of how Polynesia became "the most extensive nation on earth." • Navigate widely in many directions, without instruments, through widely varying sea and weather conditions. • Document the wayfinding process of the navigator and the performance of the eanoe. Cultural • Awaken pride in and understanding of the golden age of Polynesian voyaging. • Form or expand relationships with Polynesian islanders. • Invite participation in a gathering of Pacific canoes in Honolulu Harbor. Educational • Leam about the Polynesian islands, and to involve Hawaii's people — particularly students — in this learning process. • Document what we learn. • Help establish an educational center in Honolulu Harbor on the voyaging eanoe Hokule'a. The Hokule'a will have an escort boat whieh will not radio directions. Depending on weather conditions, the boat will be laid up from three weeks to eight months, Thompson said. Following the first leg, there will be at least a three-week layover to allow the navigator to retum to Honolulu for a rest. Whether or not the voyage is completed will depend on weather and condition of the crew and vessel, Thompson concluded.

Father and son — Myron, left, and Nainoa Thompson — take a good look at the Hokule'a as it is being completely overhauled for an extensive 27-month voyage. Nainoa will again be the navigator without the use of instruments.