#Nainoa Thompson

On Tuesday, at approximately 9:45 a.m., the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s traditional voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia, accompanied by Tahiti’s canoe Fa‘afaite, arrived at their first stop in French Polynesia: Taputapuātea.

Nearly a week since departing Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island, the voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are making steady progress on their sail to French Polynesia, the first international leg that resumes the Moananuiākea Voyage. After six days at sea, the canoes are on course and now approximately halfway to the equator.

 The four-year journey spans an estimated 43,000 nautical miles, 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 Indigenous territories and more than 400 ports.

As the Eiffel Tower is symbolically illuminated in blue, the two ocean advocates presented French President Macron with the SOS Ocean Manifesto at the lead-up event to UNOC-3

Senate Bill 529 SD1 relating to education seeks to appropriate funds to expand the Hoʻākea Program, an educational initiative that integrates Hawaiian cultural practices with academic subjects to engage students and promote environmental stewardship.

Polynesian Voyaging Society prepares to mark 5 decades of legendary iconic traditional double-hulled voyaging canoe reviving the Hawaiian culture, advocating for the environment and renewing a connection to the Earth and ocean.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society is preparing to celebrate the 50th birthday of Hōkūleʻa, Hawaiʻi’s legendary voyaging canoe, first launched on March 8, 1975.

For the last two weeks, Hōkūleʻa has been docked at Māʻalaea, where the crew has been hosting students and the community for tours and presentations as part of the Pae ʻĀina Statewide Sail. The crew departed Māʻalaea early Friday morning and arrived in Kahoʻolawe later that day.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society has received a $10,000 donation from the Elks Lodge in support of its ongoing mission to perpetuate traditional Polynesian wayfinding and to help fund the organization’s outreach to schools in Hawaiʻi.

The trip is part of continual preparations for the Moananuiākea circumnavigation of the Pacific and will take about one week.

The American Association of Geographers (AAG) has announced Nainoa Thompson as this year’s Honorary Geographer. This annual award recognizes excellence in research, teaching, or writing on geographic topics by non-geographers. Thompson was recognized and gave a presentation at the AAG annual meeting yesterday afternoon. The AAG annual meeting is being held in Honolulu from April 16-20.

Adverse El Nino weather conditions have led to the Polynesian Voyaging Society to postpone its planned Moananuiākea Voyage, the circumnavigation of the Pacific until March 2025. Instead, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will remain in Hawaiian waters for training, statewide engagements and educational outreach.

A $500,000 federal earmark has been secured to support collaboration between the Polynesian Voyaging Society and indigenous communities to share traditional ecological knowledge and scientific information during Hōkūle‘a’s Moananuiākea Voyage via the digital Wa‘a Honua platform, US Sen. Brian Schatz announced.

Storied Native Hawaiian navigator and explorer Nainoa Thompson will be recognized as Honorary Geographer of the Year when the American Association of Geographers convenes its annual meeting April 16-20 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center.

At the end of a nearly four-mile walk, community organizer Archie Kalepa addressed a crowd gathered at Launiupoko saying, “The depth of our grief and the warmth of our aloha is overwhelming. Today marks a different kind of point in the history of this place.”

Blaine Kahoonei has been named COO; Justyn Ah Chong has joined PVS as Media Content Director; and Jonah Apo has been named Associate Development Coordinator.

After more than six months, the Polynesian sailing canoe Hōkūleʻa is on her way back to Hawaiʻi courtesy of Matson.  The Matson ship is expected to arrive in Honolulu on the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 6.

Hōkūleʻa completed its journey in San Diego, marking the final US stop on the Moananuiākea Voyage.

The Hōkūleʻa will be making several stops in Southern California where the public can learn about its global educational campaign.

Polynesian Voyaging Society CEO Nainoa Thompson today announced a major change to the Moananuiākea Voyage sail plan.  In the wake of the devastating fires on Maui, Hōkūleʻa will return home from San Diego, California in late December, before continuing on the circumnavigation of the Pacific.