Children Connecting with Voyagers

As part of the Hōkūle‘a Worldwide Voyage Pilot program, voyagers work directly with children, helping to share the value of thinking like a navigator with classes and community groups throughout Hawai‘i. Some of the canoe beliefs they help the keiki incorporate into their daily lives include:

• Establishing a goal or destination
• Setting a sail plan to successfully reach that goal
• Observing the environment and surrounding conditions in order to keep on track
• Nurturing the environment so vital clues remain intact
• Caring for and working with one's crewmates to ensure everyone reaches the final destination safely
• Protecting and preserving one's resources so that there is not only enough for today's voyage, but also for tomorrow's.

One of the groups with whom the voyagers share is Papa Kukui, the elementary program at Kawaiaha‘o Church School in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.

The keiki, ages five to eleven, incorporate these and other canoe concepts into their daily lessons of Aloha ‘Āina (Love the Land). From learning about the ecosystem of Palmyra Atoll and comparing it to that of Hawai‘ī to practicing Kekahi i Kekahi (Caring for One Another), the children are helping to perpetuate the values that have sustained Hawaiians for generations.

While the pilot program is still in its infancy, we would like to see it grow. Over the next few months, we will add venues for conversation and learning here on the website. Please keep checking back to see how the pilot program expands.

In the meantime, we would love to hear from other students and teachers about how thinking like a navigator and being a part of a "canoe family" would be useful in your everyday life.

Drawings: The keiki of Kawaiaha‘o Church School
Music: Barefoot Natives