‘More than a canoe’: Hōkūleʻa a symbol of resilience, revival, cultural pride, stewardship, peace, hope

“Hōkūleʻa is more than a canoe. She represents a dream to revive one of humanity’s greatest achievements — the wayfinding and exploration that united the Pacific peoples.”

Those words spoken by Polynesian Voyaging Society Chief Executive Office and Pwo (Master) Navigator Nainoa Thompson encapsulate not only the historic voyages undertaken by the iconic traditional double-hulled voyaging waʻa but the worldwide movement it launched.

Hōkūleʻa has served as a symbol of resilience, revival, cultural pride, environmental stewardship, peace and hope for 5 decades.

The traditional voyaging canoe has sailed nearly 300,000 miles and completed 15 deep sea voyages since her first launch March 8, 1975, to the groundbreaking Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage from 2014 to 2017.

More importantly, Hōkūleʻa bridged generations and communities through shared values of Mālama Honua (care for the Earth).

Now, Polynesian Voyaging Society is preparing to celebrate the 50th birthday of Hawaiʻi’s legendary voyaging canoe. The milestone marks a half-century of cultural revival, environmental advocacy and a renewed connection to the Earth and ocean.

What began as the vision of Herb Kawainui Kāne, Ben Finney and Tommy Holmes when they formed the nonprofit Polynesian Voyaging Society in 1973 as an effort to replicate a traditional voyaging waʻa, Hawaiʻi’s first in 600 years, has grown into a global initiative.

“If you could launch something, even if it’s a dream, it’s worth it. Even if it’s an idea, it’s worth it. And the birthday is such an important moment for us to dream again and believe again and have courage to let go of the lines,” Thompson said.

Thomspon in 1980 became the first Native Hawaiian in 6 centuries to navigate a voyaging canoe to Tahiti without instruments. 

He has since captained and navigated Hōkūleʻa on more than a dozen voyages and passed on his knowledge for decades.

“As we celebrate 50 years of Hōkūleʻa, we thank those who cared for her, honor the leadership that has guided us and invite Hawaiʻi and the world to look forward to the next 50 years of voyaging for a better future,” Thompson said.

Polynesian Voyaging Society will highlight Hōkūleʻa’s significant impact throughout the past 50 years via storytelling and events.

The centerpiece of the celebration will be Hōkūleʻa’s 50th Birthday Commemoration on March 8, 2025, during the 16th annual Kualoa/Hakipuʻu Canoe Festival at Kualoa Regional Park on Oʻahu.

Kualoa is where the iconic double-hulled canoe was assembled, blessed and launched into the Pacific Ocean. 

Additional festivities — designed to honor the past, reflect on the present and set sail toward a vision for the future — will be announced in the coming months.  

“Now we are 50 years down the road and we turn our eyes to the next 50 years,” Thompson said.  “We should just keep launching canoes. And they may not be voyaging canoes. It may be the ideals, the beliefs, the values of a single individual that wants to make a better world.”

The 50th birthday celebration will honor the legacy of Hōkūleʻa by:

• Thanking the canoe and her caretakers: Recognizing the individuals and communities who have supported Hōkūleʻa’s journey during the past 50 years.
• Celebrating leadership: Honoring the visionaries and navigators who steered Hōkūleʻa and the Polynesian Voyaging Society toward a brighter future.
• Reflecting on progress: Acknowledging how far Hawaiʻi and the global community have come in cultural revival and environmental stewardship.
• Launching a vision: Turning toward the next 50 years, with a renewed focus on protecting Earth’s oceans, fostering indigenous knowledge and inspiring the next generation to embrace the values of Mālama Honua.

The celebration is more than a birthday party. It is a call to action.

Hōkūleʻa has inspired the world during the past half-century to reconnect with nature and embrace the responsibility to protect the planet we all call home.

As humanity faces the 21st century’s environmental challenges, particularly the health of Earth’s oceans, the lessons of Hōkūleʻa are more urgent than ever.

So Polynesian Voyaging Society aims to engage youth, ensuring they understand Hōkūleʻa’s role in cultural revival and ocean conservation.

The nonprofit is and will continue to do so through partnerships with educators, scientists and indigenous communities to highlight the interconnectedness of people, the ocean and the Earth.

“Our island is not just Hawaiʻi; it’s the planet,” Thompson said. “Science has shown us that the health of our communities depends on the health of our oceans. This celebration is not only for Hōkūleʻa but for the Earth — a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect the only home we have.”

For updates about events and ways to participate in this historic celebration, click here.