Voyages: 1976-2003

The voyages sponsored by the Polynesian Voyaging Society have provided a wealth of information for scientists, anthropologists and archaeologists about traditional Polynesian migrations, documenting one of the greatest achievement of humanity--the exploration and settlement of islands in an area of over 10 million square miles during a period of over 1,000 years.

At the same time, as Hokule'a and Hawai'iloa traveled throughout Polynesia, they inspired among Polynesians an increased awareness and native pride in their seafaring heritage. They also sparked a revival of canoe building and sailing, arts that had not been practiced in over a hundred years. Hokule`a, the first modern replica of a voyaging canoe to make the voyage from Hawai'i to Tahiti and back, became a symbol of the richness of Polynesian culture and the seafaring heritage which links together all of the peoples of the Pacific.

2003: Voyage to Northwestern Hawaiian Islands: Click on top links on the navigation bar on the left for current information.

1999-2000: Voyage to Rapa Nui: Hokule'a reached the far southeastern corner of Polynesia, completing its modern exploration of the Polynesian Triangle.

Summer 1995: Hokule'a's West Coast Tour / Hawai'iloa's Northwest Tour: In the summer of 1995, the voyaging canoesHokule'a and Hawai'iloa were shipped to Seattle; Hokule'a travelled down the West Coast to San Diego to share the mana of the canoe with Hawaiians, native Americans, and other Americans living there. Hawai'iloa, meanwhile, went from Seattle to Juneau Alaska to visit the land of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tshimshian, who donated the logs for its hulls.

Spring 1995: Na 'Ohana Holo Moana/The Voyaging Family of the Vast Ocean: the voyaging canoes Hokule'a, Hawai'iloa, and Makali'i sailed from Hawai'i to the Marquesas and back via Tahiti and Ra'iatea. Early settlers to Hawai'i are believed to have come from the Marquesas because of the similarities of the Hawaiian and Marquesan languages.

1992: No Na Mamo/For the Children: Hokule'a sailed from Hawai'i to Rarotoga and back via Tahiti and Ra'iatea. In Rarotonga, the canoe participated in the Sixth Pacific Arts Festival celebrating the revival of traditional canoe building and navigation in the Pacific. Called "The Voyage for Education," this voyage incorporated an educational program that allowed students to follow the canoe on its journey through live, daily radio reports.

1985-87: The Voyage of Rediscovery: took Hokule'a on a 16,000 mile journey along the ancient migratory routes of the Polynesian Triangle--from Hawai`i to the Society Islands, the Cook Islands, New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, and back home via Aitutaki, Tahiti, and Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago. This voyage showed that it was possible for Polynesian canoes to sail from west to east in the Pacific when the prevailing easterly tradewinds were replaced by seasonal westerlies.

1980: Hawai`i to Tahiti and Back: Nainoa Thompson, who studied under Satawalese navigator Mau Piailug (see "1976: Hawai'i to Tahiti and Back" below), became the first Hawaiian navigator in over 500 years to guide a canoe over this traditional route without instruments.

1978: Voyage to Tahiti Cancelled After Canoe Swamping In 1978, a voyage to Tahiti was cancelled because Hokule'a swamped south of Moloka'i in heavy seas; crew member Eddie Aikau, who attempted to paddle on a surfboard to get help on land, was lost at sea.

1976: Hawai`i to Tahiti and Back; Satawelese navigator Mau Piailug,with a Hawaiian crew, guided Hokule'a without instruments to Tahiti, a distance of 2400 miles. Piailug was called upon to navigate because no Hawaiian knew the ancient art of guiding canoes by the celestial bodies and ocean swells.