Hokule’a Visits Molokai

Photo by Jack Kiyonaga

For the first time since 2017, the Hokule’a docked at the Kaunakakai Harbor, open for tours, talks and more.

“Coming to Molokai is always special,” explained President of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and famed navigator Nainoa Thompson. “It’s a blessing for us to be able to talk with the community.”

Molokai students from every school made their way down to Kaunakakai to interact with the crew and learn more about the history and purpose of the canoe. The crew focused on teaching the three M’s – mo’olelo, malama and mo’oku’auhau – explained Hokule’a Captain Kaiwi Hamakua-Makue. They used the framework of the canoe, with its reliance on teamwork, the natural world and Hawaiian culture to bring these lessons to life.

For Hamakua-Makue, whose mother’s family hails from Molokai, guiding the canoe to Molokai from Oahu was a very special experience.

“My name is literally the connection between my mom’s homeland and my dad’s,” he said. “Molokai has always been a place where people take care and have aloha for each other here.”

Built in 1975, the nearly 65-foot double hull canoe served as the ultimate experiment, explained Thompson, as Native Hawaiians sought to re-discover the art of wayfinding.

“We’re trying to understand the greatness of our ancestors,” said Thompson.

The canoe was most recently on a voyage along the North American Pacific Coast when wildfires destroyed Lahaina in 2023, leading to a new mission for the canoe back in Hawaii: the Pae ‘Aina sail. As part of the seven-month Pae ‘Aina statewide sail, Hawaii residents have been able to aloha Hokule’a before it sets off on an exciting multi-year journey through the Pacific.

The upcoming four-to-five-year voyage, called Moananuiakea, will take the Hokule’a over 43,000 nautical miles, to 36 countries and over 300 ports. With the goal of inspiring a new generation of voyagers and stewards of the Earth, the journey “is really about tomorrow,” explained Thompson.

Thompson explained that part of the reason for having the current statewide sail is to promote a larger inclusion throughout Hawaii for the impending Moananuiakea voyage.

With more than 400 crew members needed, the Polynesian Voyaging Society is looking at who from Molokai would want to learn more and potentially go on this journey with Hokule’a.

With the deep history of voyaging amongst Molokai residents, Thompson said he is planning to establish a point person who can help organize training and testing for potential crew members. While Thompson wasn’t able to make the trip over to Molokai this time, he is planning on hosting a community meeting on-island in the near future.

Molokai’s unique culture and relationship with sustainability makes Molokai navigators of particular value to the Moananuiakea voyage, explained Thompson.

“Molokai is unique in how residents have decided to take responsibility for their home,” he said. “You have some people who are of the genius status on Molokai when it comes to their relationship with ‘aina and the ocean.”

Molokai residents who are interested in learning more about the upcoming Moananuiakea voyage can keep an eye on The Molokai Dispatch for further announcements and upcoming meetings.