With eyes on the sky above and distant horizon, the crew aboard the voyaging canoe Hokulea were finally clear to depart from Statter Harbor in Juneau, Alaska, at 4:15 a.m. (Alaska Time) on June 18. The Moananuiakea Voyage circumnavigation of the Pacific has begun.
Having reached the first of seven stops in southeast Alaska after a 12-hour sail, the crew is in Angoon to engage with the Native Alaskan community. Upcoming stops include Kake, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, Metlakatla and Hydaburg.
Pending weather conditions, Hokulea has plans to depart Hydaburg on July 15 and then will enter the waters of British Columbia.
Cultural blessings, celebratory dances and protocol were a part of the 10-hour launch ceremony conducted on June 15 at the University of Alaska Southeast Recreation Center. The original plan was for the event to take place at Auke Bay. However, rain and cold temperatures dictated the move indoors.
The ceremony opened with Alaska Native protocol from the Aakw Kwaan followed by Hawaii Global Launch protocol conducted by the Hawaii delegation. Hundreds of people, including Native Alaskans, Juneau community members, supporters from Hawaii and others around the world, attended and participated in the ceremony, according to a Polynesian Voyaging Society news release.
In his opening remarks, PVS CEO and Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson shared one of the goals of Moananuiakea: A Voyage for Earth — to connect nations around the Pacific and the globe to build a collective movement to care for the oceans.
Indigenous Pacific partners, pwo navigators and others also shared well wishes and a commitment to the voyage.
The Hawaii portion of the ceremony closed with the offering of awa, a ceremonial drink incorporated into important events throughout the Pacific. The first serving was offered to ancestors, starting with those of the Aakw Kwaan of Auke Bay. The drink was also offered to Na Pohaku O Taputapuatea, three stones from the sacred voyaging temple of Raiatea in French Polynesia.
Hokulea undertook the voyage to Tahiti along the ancient sea road of Kealaikahiki in 2022 in order to seek permission to embark on the Moananuiakea Voyage. This voyage also provided the opportunity to nurture the next generation of leaders.
The stones will ride with Hokulea throughout its four-year journey around the Pacific with the vow to return them to Taputapuatea once the journey has ended.
Awa was also symbolically served to the PVS guiding elders who have passed on. To conclude the awa ceremony, Alaska Natives, voyaging leadership and others formed a circle and drank awa to affirm their commitment to unity and to the voyage.
The closing ceremony included dances, songs and words from the elders and Indigenous tribes of southeast Alaska. They also presented gifts to the pwo navigators and voyaging leadership.
At the event’s conclusion, the Alaska Native hosting organizations presented an ocean declaration to the crew of the Hokulea. The hope is that with every engagement along its upcoming 43,000-nautical-mile journey around the Pacific and stops at over 300 ports, citizens from the around the world will sign the commitment to care for our oceans.
And so the first steps to amplify the vital importance of the oceans, share Indigenous knowledge and ignite a movement of 10 million “planetary navigators” who will take action to steer Earth toward a healthy, thriving future have been set in motion.
Join the journey at the PVS website or by following @hokuleacrew on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.