Finding the Way

Ancient Hawaiian navigation techniques had been lost. In 1976, a Micronesian navigator guided Hokule'a on her Pacific voyages. On board that wa`a (canoe) was a young Hawaiian named Nainoa Thompson; little did he realize that 19 years later he would be turning over a new wa`a, Hawai`iloa, to his own apprentice ho`okele (navigators) and `aukai (sailors).

The Hawai`iloa training program emphasizes not only good seamanship and celestial navigation, but also traditional Hawaiian values. A 30 day journey on the open sea, with 12 or more people, requires teamwork, respect, risk-taking, and self-discipline.

Learn more about traditional navigation in the gallery area to the left.

Planning for Survival
Front Gallery of the Hawai`iloa Exhibit


Back to the Hawai'iloa page

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Revised on August 29, 1996 by mcb