Category : Learning Journeys

Hā‘ena, Kauaʻi —

By Kimberlee Stuart. Walking up the dirt road to greet the hard working team Limahuli, the trickle of pristine Limahuli stream could be heard through the foliage.  Crew members sat down under a big ulu tree with Kawika Winters, the director and ‘head steward’ of the gardens and he talked to us a bit about what we had in store on this beautiful day.  The term ‘Learning journey’ was already befitting as we heard about the cultural, ecological, and educational goals of Limahuli.

One of these goals, to perpetuate traditional practices and ways of knowing was beautifully evident as we walked up through carefully restored lo’i.  Kawika shared that the Kalo cultivars here share the same genealogy of those from 100s of years ago.  Above the lo’i sits the newly built traditional hale with it’s beautiful thick roof of endemic loulu fronds, and solid pohaku, or stone foundation.

Visiting beautiful Limahuli, it is easy to understand why the people here so clearly love this place. Yet with this love comes a certain level of concern.  Kawika asked us to consider; “When the land is unhealthy what happens to the ocean? And when the ocean is not well what happens to the land?”  Two endangered ground nesting sea birds, the `ua`a and a`o (endangered ground-nesting sea birds), are not coming back from their trips to the sea in large numbers; a sign that things are not well in the ocean. Those that are left are many times disoriented and crash due to our night time lights. These are the same birds that nourish the land with phosphorous and are used in navigation and fishing.

Up in the preserve the Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia crews helped to plant papala and Uncle Moku told us the story of his epic hike up the Makana cliffs where he and his son threw the burning plants down to the sea for the first ‘ōahi ceremony in many decades.  The bright flashes, seen all the way to Kilauea, remind us that when we malama honua, and care for nature’s gifts, we also preserve a culture and a way of knowing that can be passed to the next generation.

Kawika Winters  Program Director Limahuli Garden and Preserve
P. O. Box 808
Hanalei, HI 96714 USA  (808) 826-1668

http://ntbg.org/gardens/limahuli.php

North Shore, O‘ahu —

By Tricia Dang and Jenna Ishii. Hosted by the beautiful community of the North Shore on Oahu – today’s land-based exploration reminded me that strategic community driven action ensures the ability to create conservation opportunities and implement sustainable practices for today and the future. Walking a few minutes from our temporary home on Waialua Bay is Loko Ea fishpond. Loko Ea is an ancient Hawaiian Fishpond that is being restored for cultural and environmental education. The restored pond is 6 acres wide; however, long-time residents are quick to remind us that the pond stretches much further north. Malama Loko Ea gladly host’s community service opportunities!

Blake McElheny, community leader and a member of the voyaging family, talked about the North Shore community land trust (http://northshoreland.org/) and presented the design plans for Haleiwa Beach Park Improvements, an area next to Loko Ea fishpond. The plan is to connect spaces and improve facilities with new features such as a canoe hale (shelter for local groups to safely store canoes). We like this one! For more information about  Loko Ea Fishpond, visit “Mālama Loko Ea” on Facebook.

Later in the day, we were invited to visit Waimea Valley. Managed by Hiipaka LLC, Waimea Valley is the least developed of all the ahupuaa (land divisions – mountain to the sea) on the island of O‘ahu. Most familiar is Waimea Bay; the waters from Kamananui Stream in Waimea Valley flow into the Bay. Rich in Hawaiian history and traditios, Waimea Valley has numerous ancient Hawaiian sites.

The valley also has an extensive botanical garden – we were mindful of the red signs signifying rare plants such as the Loulu Pritchardia Viscosa, and had a great time checking out plants from regions we will be visiting during the Worldwide Voyage such as the Toromiro from Rapa Nui. Later, we put in some time to help with landscape work at the Kauhale (traditional ancient Hawaiian living complex) and discussed future opportunities to support Waimea Valley’s projects.

We ended the day by hiking into the back of the valley and swimming in the waterfall. That evening, Kamaki Worthington and our crew members gave a public presentation to the community about the the history of Hōkūle‘a and the upcoming Worldwide Voyage. We drove back to Haleiwa that night with a million stars in the sky, and we talked about how this community truly exemplifies the values of mālama honua (to care for the Earth).

For more information about Waimea Valley, visit http://www.waimeavalley.net/.

Wahiawa, O’ahu —

By Sarah Balmilero and Micah Rabang.

Students of Ho’āla School in Wahiawa, O’ahu continued their learning journey with the Polynesian Voyaging Society, venturing into the nearby town of Hale’iwa. As the school bus approached the boat harbor, excitement reached new highs for the young students when Hōkūle’a came into view. The children hurried down the bus steps and across the parking lot to get a better look at the famed voyaging canoe.

Throughout the morning, trade winds blew against the faces of the eager children while Hōkūle’a rocked gently in the harbor waters. The students of Ho’āla split into groups and cycled through various hands-on activities and dockside lessons.  One of the lessons involved looking at microscopic organisms through various tools, including a state-of-the-art cellscope – a microscope that attaches to an iPhone!

At the other stations, crewmembers demonstrated various techniques that apply to the voyaging of Hōkūle’a. The students received the experiences of knot tying, using a star compass,and touring the Hōkūle’a herself.  While atop the wa’a (canoe), students had the opportunity to maneuver the sweep, unfurl her enchanting sail, and observe what life aboard is really like. Wandering about her gleaming deck and climbing into her cozy bunks, the students were forever changed.

Afterwards, the students and crew headed across Hale’iwa’s famous Rainbow Bridge to the Loko Ea fishpond.  They toured the shimmering ponds and learned about fishing techniques, plants, and the Kawailoa Ahupua’a. The ponds were loaded with kaku (barracuda), ulua (giant trevally), and ‘ama’ama (mullet).  The teachers and students (K through 12) intend to return to Loko Ea to work on a service project in the coming weeks.

Wahiawa, O’ahu —

By Micah Rabang and Sarah Balmilero. As the morning school bell rang, the hall of Ho’ala School, located in Wahiawa on the island of O’ahu, filled with the voices of excited children in anticipation. Today was the day they would begin building the Ho’ala School Peace Garden, working side by side with visiting crew members of Hōkūleʻa. Thanks to Maggie Pulver, the Science and Service Learning teacher, also a Hōkūleʻa crewmember-in-training, funds were secured from the HaSTA Chevron grants for the school to build this innovative and sustainable peace garden, which will eventually produce edible, medicinal, and  plants for the school as well as the crew of the Hōkūleʻa.

Unable to life cinder blocks and fish tanks, the younger students worked to replant koa tree saplings that were started from seeds the students collected in the summer of 2012 during the school’s Camp Kokua program, a two-week service learning camp. The trees are intended to help offset the carbon footprint of the World Wide Voyage. These tiny koas, although small and individual now, will be used as powerful gifts of peace in the months to come. 

After the construction of the garden beds and re-potting of the koa trees, middle and high school students met with crew members Ryan and Captain Kamaki of the Hōkūleʻa and “talked-story” for a little while.  The students asked questions about things ranging from life aboard Hōkūleʻa and her upcoming journey ahead, to the types of animals seen out at sea.  One student even asked which animals the crew members preferred.  Dolphins were among the winners.

As the school day was coming to a close, the buzz among the students around the day’s events were not.  The talk was all garden, koas, and the upcoming learning journey to visit Hōkūleʻa the following day.  The lives of Ho’ala students were significantly impacted by the day’s experience.  You could feel it.  The excitement of tomorrow waiting just over the horizon…

Lāhainā, Maui —

By Sacred Hearts School 8^th graders: JP Hill, Erin Tsue, and Chanel Charbonnier.

“God guides us on a new path towards a sustainable future, with enhanced education and a love for the land and each other.” – Sacred Hearts Class of 2014

The mission of the Sacred Hearts School’s Class of 2014 is to enhance and revolutionize education by bringing the students out of the classroom and experiencing school in a more hands-on fashion.

To know where we come from and become familiar with our sense of place, we need to know what is happening in our own backyard. The Sacred Hearts Middle School students had a perfect opportunity to branch out to our community and learn about our own backyard, while bonding and starting off the year with a learning experience on August 13, 2013.  Students connected with Captain Timi Gilliom, apprentice navigator, Kala Baybayan, and crewmembers Katherine Smith, Shonna Lohman, Vavai, Glenn, Willi, and Gilda at Kamehameha Iki Park where we spent the day learning about Mo’okiha O Pi’ilani which will be launched on December 21, 2013 (winter solstice).  We learned about the ancient Hawaiians ways and the importance of retaining and carrying on those practices. Katherine Smith greeted us saying, “First we need to know our piko, where we come from, before we go out in the world, because it will always be a part of us.”

This quote has more meaning than what meets the eye because it applies to many things in life.  For instance, if you are take care of something then it will take care of you. It’s the golden rule that we all learned in elementary school.  Our 8^th grade teacher, Mrs. Waldrop always says, ”What you put out into the world will circulate and come back to you.”

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who forgot where they’re from.” -Anonymous

Sometimes our generation forgets where we’ve come from. We’re all about computers, phones and other electronics. Our ancestors did not have computers, phones and electronics. Instead they had the ocean, the sun and the stars. Some people may not have even heard about the Hokule’a or Mo’okiha O Pi’ilani. That is why the World Wide Voyage of Hokule’a, the launching of Mo’okiha O Pi’ilani, and the changes many other organizations are trying to make are so important. By teaching future generations about where they come from, they will have a Sense of Place.

“If you take care of your canoe, it will take care of you.” – Crew of the Mo’okiha

For more information on Mo’okiha, Sacred Hearts School or the 8^th grade at Sacred Hearts School visit: http://www.huiowaa.org. www.sacredheartsschool.net, www.shs8thgrade.weebly.com

Kona, Moku o Keawe —

By Nahaku Kalei and Linda Furuto. The vision of Konawaena Middle School includes students will respect cultures and heritages, be prepared for current and future endeavors, make positive choices, and be creative and inquisitive.  From the opening ʻoli to the closing reflections, a day spent with approximately 100 7^th graders revealed how deeply these values and beliefs have been instilled in each child.

There is a special significance and gravity to this learning journey.  Today was the result of countless conversations and meetings in which PVS leadership advised the path to creating large-scale, necessary changes in education was through teachers.  Communities throughout Hawaiʻi and networks of teachers understood the importance of taking care of our island earth inside and outside the classroom.  A fire was ignited and over the years the waʻa ʻohana has played a large role in making each outreach event happen.  This unique and special learning journey was initiated and executed by an ambitious and inspired teacher and her like-hearted teaching team.

According to Shari Jumalon, 7^th grade teacher at Konawaena Middle School, “The kids really got a lot out of it because they didn’t know a lot about the worldwide voyage.  By doing this learning journey before visiting Hōkūleʻa next Monday, it sparked excitement like ‘oh, I just can’t wait now!’  They want to go and see the canoe.  Not that they didn’t want to before, but I’ve never had a field trip where 100% of the required forms were submitted early in the 7^th grade.”  The 7^th grade Mālama Team also includes teachers Will Georges (science), Leonel Vela (mathematics), Iwalani McCalla (social studies), and Misty Houchens (resource teacher).

The all-day event included four stations that helped prepare students for their upcoming visit to Hōkūleʻa in Kawaihae next week Monday.  These sessions were: creating a star compass, building waʻa, knot tying, and a portable planetarium.  Through these activities, friendships were made, new knowledge was gained, and most importantly, lifelong lessons grounded in the mission and values of Konawaena Middle School were imparted—mahalo nui to our inspiring teachers!

Miloli’i —

(Shari Jumalon, July 23, 2013). On the morning of July 22, 2013 we arrived in the South Kona fishing village of Miloli’i.

Often esteemed as one of the last Hawaiian fishing village, Miloli’i residents pride themselves in upholding their traditional fishing practices. We were greeted by the families that reside in the area with a warm welcome.

Miloli’I is known for their annual Lawai’a ‘Ohana Camp, where participating keiki are taught traditional Hawaiian fishing methods within the three days. Some of the techniques taught are: Hawaiian ‘Opelu fishing (with net); Night Fishing for ‘Aweoweo, Ka-ka- fishing for ‘Opakapaka; Ka’ili fishing for Moana (casting); ‘Upena Ho’olei (throw net); and building imu (stacking rocks in shallow water to catch Manini when they hide in the rocks).

According to Walter Kahiwa Jr, a retired teacher, “The main goal of the Lawai’a Camp is to revive the fishing traditions.  Since the death of several influential Kupuna (Walter Paulo & Eddie Ka’anana) there has been a decline in the fishing lifestyle.”  Both men were noted experts in Hawaiian fishing methods, particularly ‘Opelu fishing.

Since these important techniques were quickly becoming endangered, the community took quick action and created the Miloli’i Community Hui.  With the assistance of Kua o ka La Public Charter School, Hipu’u o Miloli’I Charter School has successfully completed its first school year.  The school utilizes various teaching approaches like blended online instructional curriculum and face to face meetings and community based projects, along with Hawaiian language & cultural connection.

Each student is issued a tablet with academic software where approximately 50% of the math, science, history, and language art/English lessons are delivered online. There is no tuition but internet access is required for students to complete their assignments.

Through this community effort, the Miloli’i community is working towards restoring the fishing ko’a to previous productivity level. “Back in the days every family would care for a fishing ko’a.  When we used to go (fish for ‘Opelu) the canoes used to be filled to the top, we had to jump in the water to make room,” according to Kahiwa.  Through the Lawai’a Camps and the new charter school, “We are relearning to Malama the fishing ko’a and taking only what we need so the fishing ko’a can thrive again,” Kahiwa.

Every night during the week-long stay we shared various videos about voyaging, starting with “Papa Mau: The Wayfinder”.

While in Miloli’i we were visited by numerous people especially the keiki of Miloli’i.  Many of them visited everyday and the kids even joined the crew on the 3 hour sail to Ho’okena.

 Molokaʻi (Malia Ane & Gail Peiterson) —

Along Kamehameha Highway V between mile marker 2 and 3 lies a cultural treasure: Ka Honua Momona (KHM). The website sites the mission:  to be a model of sustainability mauka a makai (from the mountains to the sea). We seek to foster connections between all aspects of the island ecosystem, including the people and culture, and we firmly believe that Molokai can again return to abundance and become a self-sufficient model for all nations.

The facilities and programs at Ka Honua Momona, were a rich blend of old and new.  The offices were state of the art and off the grid with the feel of the offices mirroring the cultural significance of the fishponds and ocean.

The halau, built by interns and community groups, uses the invasive plants that were removed from the fishponds and other inland restoration sites. Ironwood, mangrove, and kiawe logs provide support for the loulu fronds that provide the thatching for the halau and also hides the LED lighting and the Wi-Fi availability to do state of the art presentations in the same location our ancestors once gathered.

The day was enjoyable and educational because of the positive interactions with the KHM and KUPU interns.  They greeted us with their protocol oli and honi and then shared the work that they proudly accomplished.  It was clear to see by being involved in the restoring of the fishponds they were also restoring themselves and their eyes were opened to possibilities of what could be.

Ka Honua Momonaʻs primary long-term goals are:  To develop indigenous education systems by revitalizing natural and cultural resources and to perpetuate traditional knowledge and stewardship while evolving with modern technology.  The work at KHM reflects the World Wide Voyage values and goals: “CLOVE ” and Mālama Honua.

• Culture and Indigenous knowledge: Learning the protocol and reviving cultural practices through hands on experiences.
• Leadership: Developing future leaders as the interns lead tours, directed rotations for visiting school groups and are working with community partners.
• Ocean Awareness and Protection: Restoration of fishponds and protecting off shore reefs.
• Voyaging Skills and Values: Value of teamwork, preparation and knowing one’s kuleana to reach the destination.
• Education: Each generation’s knowledge and experiences are shared, valued and celebrated.

Molokai  (Tara O’Neill, Mahina Hou and Mililani Hanapi). On the morning of July 9, 2013 crew members of Hōkūle‘a took part in their first learning journey on the island of Molokai.  This journey encompassed many stops but one theme.  The focus was on kupuna who have dedicated their lives to preserving and protecting the culture, land and history of Molokai and have done so without grant or external funding and often in conflict with the regulations and intentions of the state and federal government.  All of the kupuna who were so kind to share their manao with us, have dedicated their lives to the types of peaceful, courageous and productive lifestyle that helped sustain the Native Hawaiian renaissance in the 1970ʻs and reminds current and future generations of the multiple means of protecting a culture and standing up against oppression.

Our journey began driving east under the guidance of Auntie Mililani Hanapi.  She started by sharing the history of the land from Kawela to Pualei.  During the time of Alapai nui, before the time of Kamehameha, this land area was engaged in a heated battle involving four armies from O‘ahu, Kauai, Maui and Hawaii.  The armies of Oahu and Kauai sought to control the island of Molokai because of its strategic location within the island chain and because the island was a rich food source.  The armies of Hawaii and Maui formed an alliance with Molokai and fought to protect her and her people. Kamalo was where the fighting began with the Hawaii, Maui and Molokai forces pushing back the Oahu and Kauai armies to Naiwa and Kalamaula on the west side of the island. There were many lost on both sides. Kamalo was one of three landing sites visible from the main channel when sailing the Pu‘u O Mo‘o a Kamalo served as a visual guide to the harbor.

Our next stop was Puuloli, a look out point in the ahupua‘a of Ahaino. From Puuloli here we could see the harbor of Honomuni. This is the second port you can see from the main channel along the south shore. Here Auntie Mililani and Uncle Alapa‘i explained how this land (and their home) had been pasted down for generations through Auntie Mililani’s ancestors and how they have dedicated their lives to reclaiming their native lands and over coming insurmountable odds. Auntie Mililani and Uncle Alapa‘i are renown artist and educators of Hawaiian history. They have regained rights and access to their lands in their ahupua‘a and plan to build a museum to educate others to preserve the history of this land and the multiple generations who have inhabited it.

We where shown an 1893 survey map done by M.D. Monsarrat of the Honomuni Fishery/Honomuni Harbor. Three Fishponds line the shore Kiha loko,Waihilahila and Kualaalamihi. Kiha loko is dated at approximately 600 years old and the linage of the land can be connected to voyagers from Tahiti. Six families link a part of our past on Molokai to Kapukapuahakea or Taputapuatea . The names are recorded as Haua, Kahalanui, Kalahookaalii, Kauluna, Moelehu, Namahana. These names are linked to Kapukapuahakea a migration site.

On the North shore in Wailau is also a heiau known to the people of Molokai as a Tahitian Heiau. Molokai has three known landing sites.  The third one is Halawa Valley and is said to be one of Hawaii’s oldest landing sites first visited by people who sailed from Marquesas.   This place is located at the bottom of Pu‘u O Hoku (the hill of stars) located on the eastern most tip of Molokai. Auntie Mililani and Uncle Alapa‘a believe it is important to malama, take care and know these places because it is important to understand the connections of the place and how people are connected to the land.

Uncle Maka, a Hōkūle‘a crew member, summarized the importance of understanding the history of this land, it’s history, it’s culture and it’s people by saying, “you gotta see what no can see.  You gotta hear what no can hear”.  This is the goal of Aunty Mililani and Uncle Alapa‘i, to make visible what we can no longer see by sharing the stories of this place and in so doing bringing connections between the people.

The third stop on our journey was to Uncle Leimana Naki’s fishpond where we engaged in a service learning project to help maintain the pond walls.  Here the Hōkūle‘a crew members were taught the history of this place and introduced to the multiple species of sea life who live here and have served as a critical part of the Native Hawaiian diet for generations.  Uncle Leimana expressed his excitement that many school children on Molokai visit the fishpond, learn about the culture and help to maintain this place but called on men and women of the islands to “do their part to build and maintain fishponds and culture”.  He then posed a questions to the crew: “You only have a short time in life.  What are you going to leave?”

For Uncle Leimana, this place is his legacy and he proudly explains how this fishpond was built and maintained independent of government or corporate grants.  In his words, “it is not part of the system” and this he believes is important for maintaining the integrity of the cultural connection to this place.

The final stop on our journey was to the ohana lands of Hōkūle‘a crewmember, Mahina Hou and his wife Tammy.  Historically, Halawa Valley is thought to be one of the first places inhabited by Native Hawaiian people.  Generations ago, this land was rich with lo‘i fields and free flowing streams. It was know as the land of plenty as illustrated by the meaning of the place name: Ha (breath of life) and Lawa (adequate or enough).  This valley once had streams with pleanty of fish and rich land for farming kalo.  However, the lo‘i and the streams that served them were damaged by tidal waves and floods.  With the loss of their fields people stopped farming this land and moved.  In 1996 Mahina Hou, Tammy and their children began to restore the streams and kalo once abundant on their ancestral lands.  Hōkūle‘a crew members were honored to assist in this restoration process by sharing fellowship as they helped to maintain the lo‘i and aid in the multifaceted process of Malama Honua.

Moloka‘i (Jenna Ishii) —

This past week, the Moloka‘i community embraced Hōkūleʻa and her crew by sharing their aloha, cooking for the crew members, bringing their children to visit the waʻa, and hosting crew members in their sacred places to share how they mālama honua – care for Island Earth.

Our culminating learning journey this week was a visit to Moloka‘i High School’s Permaculture Garden to learn from Sust’ainable Moloka‘i about their vision to inspire youth and all Moloka‘i residents to work toward a more sust’ainable future for their island.

School garden coordinator Fred Richardson shared with us the importance of their school garden as a central location for students and community members to gather and learn how to grow food plants, trees and native plants in a dry area. Using techniques of permaculture and lessons from our kupuna, Fred teaches his students about the importance of keeping water on the land as long as possible.

Emilia Noordhoek of Sust’ainable Moloka’i shared the connection between their school garden in the mountains and the ocean below: “You want the water to move as slowly as possible to stop the erosion from flowing to the ocean.” This permaculture garden serves as a test site for their greater vision to support the restoration the Kamalo Watershed which is 3,800 acres of land from mauka to makai (mountain to ocean).

 Crew members helped Fred and his volunteers plant 40 types of native trees, food plants and ground cover to expand the school garden site. At the end of the day, Emilia shared the importance of youth-driven change and entrepreneurialism: “We want them to feel empowered to see a space in this garden and do what they want.” Students, teachers and community members are allowed to take what they need to feed their families, and in turn, they volunteer and contribute to the school garden.

Mahalo nui to Sust’ainable Moloka‘i and Moloka‘i High School Permaculture Garden for hosting our crew and allowing us to learn about the techniques of mitigating silt erosion and propagating food, trees and plants for future generations.

Click here for more information about Sust’ainable Moloka’i.