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H
Hōkūleʻa
research institutestandard
The voyaging canoe project empirically validated traditional Polynesian non-instrument wayfinding techniques, demonstrating the navigational capacity for planned, two-way trans-Pacific crossings and removing residual doubt about Polynesian contact with South America.
Overview
Hōkūleʻa is a 62-foot double-hulled voyaging canoe launched on March 8, 1975, from Kualoa in Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, conceived by artist Herb Kane. Amidst fears of Hawaiian cultural extinction, Kane envisioned rebuilding the canoe to revive the lost tradition of Polynesian wayfinding and double-hulled canoes, which hadn't been seen for over 600 years. The Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) was formed to construct and operate Hōkūleʻa, bringing together diverse professionals to demonstrate the intentional Polynesian settlement of the Pacific using non-instrument navigation.
Hōkūleʻa's mission is to perpetuate traditional wayfinding skills, restore Hawaiian pride and dignity, protect cultural values and places, and inspire a global cultural revival through voyages. The inaugural voyage to Tahiti in 1976, navigated by Mau Piailug, proved deliberate Polynesian navigation and catalyzed the Hawaiian Renaissance. Over the years, Hōkūleʻa has sailed over 250,000 nautical miles and completed the Mālama Honua Voyage from 2013 to 2017, a 47,000-nautical-mile circumnavigation promoting care for the ocean and Earth. There have been no documented controversies or covert operations.
Key Programs & Events
founding1975-03-08
Hōkūleʻa Launch
The 62-foot double-hulled voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa was launched from Kualoa in Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.