Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 7, 1 July 2016 — Hōkūleʻa arrives in the Big Apple [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hōkūleʻa arrives in the Big Apple

By Leslie Lang Asure-to-be-iconic photo of the Hōkūle'a sailing past the Statue of Liberty captured just one of many historic moments the Polynesian voyaging eanoe has had on its journey around the world. The Hōkūle'a arrived in New York City on June 5th for a two-week stay, having sailed 26,000 nautical miles through five oceans, 14 countries and 70 ports since departing from Hilo in May 2014. The crew arrived in time for the United Nations' June 8th observation of World Oceans Day, a global event focused on oeean celebration and collaboration for a better future. This year's theme is "Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet." It was a perfect match for a crew whose worldwide voyage is called Mālama Honua, or to care for our island Earth. Hōkūle'a is

traveling around the world to bring attention to the critical need to protect the Earth's natural resources by eonnecting with cultures and communities, sharing island wisdom and discovering environmental and indigenous stories of hope around the world. The crew was welcomed ashore at North Cove Marina in Manhattan by loeal officials as well as Native Americans, who welcomed them with chants. Hōkūle'a crewmembers chanted in return.

Pwo (master) Voyager Nainoa Thompson said they sailed to New York "to share these stories of great navigators and bring to light the issues facing our oceans and people." He added, "We are sailing to deliver declarations from people and places that are dedicating themselves toward action and commitment." At Gantry Plaza State Park, Thompson produced declarations of oeean protection and messages of hope they collected on their voyage from numerous countries. He presented them to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Gyan Chandra Acharya, who is UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States; and Palau President Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. "Captain Nainoa, I wish you and your entire crew a wonderful return journey," said

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who sailed on Hōkūle'a in Apia, Samoa, back in 2014. "I count on your leadership and commitment as we carry out our plans to make this world safer and more sustainable for all. On World Oceans Day, let us renew our resolve to protect these

marine treasures for generations to eome." Thompson joined Remengesau and representatives of the Federated States of Micronesia for a talk-story session on the UN's Oeean Agenda and goals. They also discussed developments regarding the negotiation of a new legally binding instrument to protect biodiversity in marine areas in the high seas. Thompson said the worldwide voyage's purpose is to learn more about the earth and to visit people who care. "You will never protect something you don't understand," he said,

"and you're also not going to protect it if you don't care." He called their voyage "meshing indigenous ancient wisdom with technology and science and bringing it together." "If you went around in 1976 and tried to collect declarations of protecting the world's oceans," he said, "you'd probably eome up with zero. People wouldn't even know what you were talking about. But today, climate change, and the heahh of the oceans, have got to be one of the top, most important issues that islanders face, collectively." And, he says, there has been some progress. "Science is saying you've got to get at least 30 percent of the oceans protected. When we began this voyage, the estimate was that 2.5 percent of the world's oceans were under so-called protection. We've almost doubled that already," he said. "That's highly significant." The crew gave free eanoe tours and participated in educational outreach programs while in New York. Some crewmembers also climbed into an outrigger eanoe to participate in the Hawaiian Airlines Liberty Challenge, one of the world's most competitive outrigger eanoe races. Fittingly, Nainoa Thompson, pwo (master)

navigator of the Hōkūle'a, was Hōkūle'a's steersman. The Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage is roughly at its midpoint. To date, more than 200 volunteer crewmembers have helped sail Hōkūle'a and they have interacted with more than 5,000 people in eommunities across the South Pacific,

Tasman Sea, Indian Oeean, Atlantic Oeean and the Caribbean Sea, including Samoa, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Australia, Indonesia, Mauritius, South Africa, Brazil, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Cuba. Before arriving home in Hawai'i in June 2017, the eanoe will cover more than 60,000 nauheal miles, 27 nations and 100 ports. ■ Lesīie Lang is afreelance writer/editor who often writes ahoul Hawai'i's euhwe, business and travel.

We are sailing to deliver declarations from people and places that are dedicating themselves toward action and commitment." — Nainoa Thompson, Pwo (master) Voyager

'ĀINA LAND AND WATER

Hōkūle'a sailed into New York City in time for the United Nations celebration of World Oceans Day. - Photos: Courtesy of 'Oiwi ĪV/Bryson Hoe

At left: Polynesian Voyaging Society President Nainoa Thompson greets UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Bottom right: The New York visit included a traditional 'awa ceremony.