Historic canoe visits Durban
Hokule'a, a historic Polynesian canoe with a crew carrying a message to care for the oceans, arrived in Durban on Friday.
THE historic Polynesian canoe Hokule'a arrived in Durban's port on Friday for a few days, before continuing on her way to Cape Town, as part of her worldwide voyage.
She was escorted along the Durban beachfront by conservation vessel R/V Angra Pequena, together with the NSRI and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. A number of sailing yachts also joined the welcoming party.
From her home in Hawaii to South Africa, the Hokule'a has voyaged about 19,000 kilometres, or over 10,000 nautical miles. This historic occasion is the first time the African coast has seen a Polynesian voyaging canoe and crew. While in Durban the Hokule'a was hosted in the Durban Marina, moored between the Point and Royal Natal Yacht Clubs.
Aboard R/V Angra Pequena, will be the Wildlands Ocean Stewards, students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal who took part in a research cruise this year with leading scientists of the African Coelacanth Ecosystem’s Programmes’ offshore biodiversity mapping project. The Ocean Stewards Program is supported by The Blue Fund, a partnership between Wildlands and Grindrod. It aims to promote the emergence of new cohort of trained Ocean Stewards that are equipped and inspired to ensure effective future governance and protection of the oceans.
The Hokule'a is a double hulled, authentic, voyaging canoe. The Polynesian Voyaging Society set sail out of Hawaii 40 years ago, and has been sailing to different parts of the world since then. The legendary vessel is growing its historic journey to include the continent of Africa for the first time ever. First they traced their roots through the Pacific, and then on to Madagascar, which was the furthest point the Polynesian voyagers of old reached over 1,000 years ago. Now they look to Africa, an uncharted continent in an ocean that is unlike their own.
M'lama Honua, the mission of the voyage, in Hawaiian means “caring for our Island Earth” has a very similar message to local South African ubuntu philosophy of community and caring. This is voyaging in the ancient way, as their Polynesian ancestors once did when they first came to the islands of Hawaii.
On board, there is no compass, sextant, or cellphone, watch, or GPS for direction. The navigator and crew find their way by the stars, the sun, and the moon. The Polynesian Voyaging Society and the Hokule'a are almost exactly halfway around the world from their home port, and have embarked on this worldwide voyage to further the message of global connectedness, sustainability, and creating a future that includes healthy oceans.
Coastal communities worldwide face similar threats due to climate change and warming oceans. The mission of the Hokule'a is to learn how people can combine what they learn from science and indigenous knowledge to benefit and conserve the world’s oceans. Through community engagement, story-telling, and caring for this island people all call home, everyone can all 'M'lama honua'.
