The said it couldn't be done. Native Hawaiians proved them wrong

Yahoo

20-05-2025

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Long before satellites or sextants, Polynesian voyagers explored one of the largest bodies of water on Earth. They did this with no compass, no GPS. They only had a deep knowledge of the winds, the stars and the ocean swells.
That legacy lives on through Hōkūleʻa, a modern-day double-hulled sailing canoe that has reawakened a culture and inspired a global movement.
More than a canoe: Hōkūleʻa's future is here
'The idea for us to be able to have this opportunity to observe this important part; it was observed by our ancestors,' said Chris Blake, crew member of the Hōkūleʻa and longtime volunteer with the Polynesian Voyaging Society. 'They tracked not only the movement of the sun, the stars, the weather patterns, the winds, the waves. And they had a great understanding of the language of nature.'
Whether you're new to voyaging or grew up watching the sails of Hōkūleʻa rise over the horizon, here are six essential things to know.
Blake said it simply: 'It was never known then, it's just really unique to us here in Hawai'i. But they purposefully circumnavigated the vast Pacific Ocean.'
Polynesian ancestors were skilled navigators who had already explored the ocean centuries before Western explorers 'discovered' them.
'We believe that all of the people who are of Native Hawaiian descent here are descendants of the navigators,' Blake said. 'Our ancestors knew that the Earth was round. They did that through their observations.'
They followed the sun and stars across thousands of miles of open ocean, using signs from nature to find new islands.
'They reached the limits,' said Blake as he described the knowledge handed down through generations. 'There are places like Mokumanamana that align perfectly with the 23.5 degrees north latitude. Our ancestors visited that place.'Launched in 1975 from Kāne'ohe Bay, Hōkūleʻa marked a cultural turning point. She was built in the image of the ancient wa'a kaulua, a double-hulled canoe once used to explore and settle Hawai'i. The canoe's name means 'Star of Gladness' and comes from the Hawaiian zenith star Arcturus.
She was designed by artist and historian Herb Kawainui Kāne, whose dream reignited pride in Native Hawaiian identity.
'When Hōkūleʻa was launched, it was more than just the canoe,' said Blake. 'Along with it came the renewal of our language, our dance, our chant, our culture.'
Hōkūleʻa wasn't just about where we came from. It became a vessel for where we are going.
'There's this idea of a language of nature,' said Blake. 'Our ancestors understood this, and it's what we're trying to keep alive today.'
Modern wayfinding was revived and taught by master navigator Mau Piailug and carried forward by Nainoa Thompson. It is more than steering a canoe. It requires observation, patience and a deep connection with the environment.
Navigators memorize the stars, watch the position of the sun, read ocean swells and track cloud movement. 'We observe. We interpret. We trust,' Blake said.
And it's a skill that takes years to develop. 'It's not just learning the signs. It's living with them,' he added.
Hōkūleʻa to stop in Hilo before traveling the world
'Next month, it's going to be the northernmost trek,' Blake said about the summer solstice. 'That's when the sun travels furthest north based on our orbit. After that, it begins to move south.'
Ancient Hawaiian navigators tracked this yearly journey.
'They knew about places like Mokumanamana,' said Blake, 'an island that's right around the 23.5 degrees north latitude. It's a marker in our understanding of the sun's path.'
That place, and others in Papahānaumokuākea, were visited, studied and honored by voyagers for centuries.
'It separates the realm of the kanaka [the human world] from that of the akua, our gods or ancestral spirits,' said Blake.
The vision of Myron 'Pinky' Thompson, a former president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, lives on every time Hōkūleʻa takes to the ocean. It's about where she goes, but it's also about how she goes.
'He said our ancestors had to have a vision of the island before they even saw it,' Blake recalled. 'They planned. They prepared. They experimented. And most importantly, they cared for one another.'
That message, Blake said, is universal.
'You find these same values throughout the world: seeking, planning, experimenting, taking risks and the importance of caring for each other,' Blake said. 'The same principles we used in the past are the ones we use today, and the ones we'll use into the future.'
Sister canoe Hikianalia was built with sustainable technology and science tools. She and Hōkūleʻa travel together, sometimes parting ways to reach new audiences, always carrying the same core mission.
'These canoes aren't just replicas,' said Blake. 'They are moving classrooms, places where we share knowledge, and where we teach students and people of all ages.'
From Tahiti to Aotearoa, from Rapa Nui to Alaska, Hōkūleʻa has brought together people across the Pacific and around the world.
'When we arrived in Pape'ete Harbor, more than 17,000 people came out. That was a spontaneous affirmation of what a great heritage we shared,' Blake said.
You can click to learn more about the Hōkūleʻa, its history and its future.
Hōkūleʻa is more than a canoe. She is a symbol of memory, knowledge and the hope that guides us forward.
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'The sun, the stars, the ocean: they are always speaking,' said Blake. 'The question is, are we listening?'
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