For the next four years, Hawaiian Voyaging canoe H艒k奴le驶a will be circumnavigating the Pacific Ocean, and Campbell Riverites got a chance to explore it on Aug. 3.
The trip is being described as 含羞草研究社淎 Voyage for Oceans, A Voyage for Earth,含羞草研究社� Moananui膩kea is the name of the voyage. It also is the name for the vast Pacific Ocean that is a heritage region for Peoples who are Indigenous to the islands and continents that surround the ocean. One of the goals is to 含羞草研究社渋gnite a movement of 10 million 含羞草研究社榩lanetary navigators含羞草研究社� who will pursue critical and inspiring 含羞草研究社榲oyages含羞草研究社� to ensure a better future for the earth.含羞草研究社�
Moani Heimuli is the captain of this leg of the voyage. She is the fourth generation of her family to be a traditional navigator.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e got four generations of them now, which is pretty amazing含羞草研究社� Heimuli said. 含羞草研究社淐oming from Hawai含羞草研究社檌, at one point in time. We never had any navigators here. We lost that art 含羞草研究社� to say today that we have four generations of navigatiors 含羞草研究社� we含羞草研究社檙e very, very proud of that.含羞草研究社�
That traditional navigation is done without the use of any instruments. Using ancestral methodology re-introduced to Polynesian people by Master Navigator Mau Piailug of Micronesia, navigators are able to travel by using stars, animals, wave direction and winds.
含羞草研究社淥nce you get away from the land, it含羞草研究社檚 a lot easier because the horizon becomes your compass,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淭he land blocks swells and things like that. They come clean out on the deep sea. It含羞草研究社檚 really nice.含羞草研究社�
Over the course of the next four years, H艒k奴le驶a will visit nearly 100 Indigenous territories in 36 different countries and archipelagos. Heimuli said that part of the goal was to build a sense of camaraderie and common heritage between these Nations.
含羞草研究社淵ou know, if you really think about it, we含羞草研究社檙e the biggest country in the world,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淎ll these little tiny Islands collectively, if we come together. We are the biggest country in the world. That含羞草研究社檚 the people of this Pacific Ocean from all the way up in this Pacific Northwest all the way down south to New Zealand.含羞草研究社�
The voyage started in Alaska, and will pass by B.C. through September. From there, the crews will continue south along the west coast of North, Central and South America, before they turn west early next year towards the Galapagos Islands and Rapa Nui. It will pass through Polynesia (Pitcairn Islands, Marquesas, Tuamotus) through next spring, and finish the crossing to Aotearoa (New Zealand) where it will travel through spring 2025.
The voyage will cover Melanesia and Micronesia into 2026, and then travel through Asia and up to Russia by September 2026. By the end of 2026 the voyagers will have crossed the Northern Pacific to Los Angeles, and will return to Hawai含羞草研究社檌. It will make one final trip in the spring of 2027 to Tahiti.
As they travel, they will stop in ports to change crew members, restock supplies and also to allow for a cultural exchange. There is also a sustainability component. H艒k奴le驶a is powered entirely by natural means. There is no motor, no GPS and no other navigational tools. They hope that through the voyage they are able to build a sense of stewardship for the ocean all Pacific peoples share.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e voyaging for the Earth but also voyaging for seven Generations from now,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淪o that our kids can continue to eat and thrive in the oceans that we live in now. And it含羞草研究社檚 also about gathering all these stories from the communities in the First Nations peoples and you know, we含羞草研究社檙e all connected in some way or form.含羞草研究社�
Part of that occurred on Aug. 3, when the crew met with local Indigenous Peoples to 含羞草研究社渃onnect with everybody, learn our stories together and share stories.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淵ou know, generations from now, they含羞草研究社檒l still be talking about us here in Campbell River. Like 含羞草研究社業 remember when that canoe was here, you know? We含羞草研究社檙e all people of the canoe.含羞草研究社�
H艒k奴le驶a leaves Campbell River on Friday, when the crew will make their way to Vancouver for a few days, before continuing on to Seattle and eventually the rest of the Pacific.
RELATED:
