Wa'a Wednesday: Planning for a historic arrival

May 11, 2016

Contributed by Shaundor Chillingworth

While Hōkūleʻa continues its historic worldwide voyage on the east coast of the United States, a delegation of students and teachers from KS’ three campuses, participating charter schools and staff prepare to greet the vessel when it arrives in Washington D.C. and New York City.

A protocol training was held on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at Kaʻiwakīloumoku in advance of the many cultural engagements and ceremonies that will be taking place over the next month.

“It was our chance for the community to come and learn some of the chants that will be used in the arrival protocols at both ports,” said Kamehameha Schools executive cultural officer Randie Kamuela Fong told KHON2 News. “To be able to teach students and people around the world who we are as Hawaiians where we come from and our history is amazing and something people need to know about.”

Students are looking forward to the opportunity to share more about their Hawaiian foundation.

“To be able to teach students and people around the world who we are as Hawaiians where we come from and our history is amazing and something people need to know about,” said student Uilani Hayes.

On Monday, the Hōkūleʻa arrived at Tangier Island in Virginia where the crew engaged with the community through canoe tours and a short discussion on climate change. PVS leadership, along with David Schulte, a marine biologist with the US Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, participated in a discussion conducted by sixth grade students from Virginia's Northumberland County.

As part of a Community Problem Solving team, the students were assigned to find and work on an issue affecting Chesapeake Bay, for the upcoming school year. The students learned how climate change has increased the rate at which Tangier Island is succumbing to sea level rise and erosion, and actively became involved in spreading awareness about the situation and helping to raise funds for the community.

Hōkūleʻa is scheduled to arrive in Washington D.C. on May 18 and in New York City on June 5. See an updated schedule of east coast port stops on hokulea.com.

For more information about the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the Worldwide Voyage, visit hokulea.com or find the society on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Google+. To see more Wa‘a Wednesday stories and much more about the Mālama Honua Voyage, go to the KS Online Mālama Honua page.

Dr. Randie Fong runs the group through a mele.