Crew
Angela Fa‘anunu is from the village of Tu‘anekivale on the island of Vava‘u, in the Kingdom of Tonga. Nunu, as she is known to most, is currently studying for her doctoral degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa. Nunu’s interests are in environmental planning and resource management, particularly in the coastal zone; community-based marine managed areas management in the Pacific Islands; and the impacts of globalization and urbanization on public health and the environment in the Pacific region.
“I am interested in participating in this voyage to Palmyra for various reasons. First and foremost, I want the deep-sea navigation training that this experience offers. My interest in Palmyra also stems from my recent academic experience focusing heavily on community-based management of marine areas throughout the Pacific, particularly in Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and the Philippines. While these countries have different marine tenure systems, communities have all been presented with the responsibility of managing their marine resources. Palmyra offers a contrasting management regime where anthropogenic influences are minimal. I am curious about what we can learn from the marine sanctuary at Palmyra.”
“I hope that we visit Tonga and other neighbors in the South Pacific. Höküle’a has changed my life in many ways. My vision for the worldwide voyage would be to allow Polynesians and other Pacific Islanders outside of Hawai‘i an opportunity to reconnect with their past… with themselves. I believe that the presence of Hōkūle’a throughout the Pacific Islands will be powerful in instilling pride about who we are as a people. It will let us step out of our everyday lives and look at our cultures with newfound pride and appreciation. This voyaging canoe, and what it represents, is very special and I hope that others will share these feelings.”