Hōkūleʻa Departs Waiʻanae and Honors Community Leader Twinkle Borge
After a week in Waiʻanae engaging with students and community, Hōkūleʻa departed Pōkaʻī Bay last Friday afternoon and returned to Sand Island. As the crew left the bay, they honored late houseless advocate Twinkle Borge with an Oli, Pū and flower drop. The Hawaiian flag was flown at half-mast along with a pink lei hulu on Hōkūleʻa as the canoe sailed along the Waiʻanae Coast. The crew also stopped off-shore of Nānākuli to honor the community with pū and oli.
“Twinkle was the navigator who would find the smallest light in each person and help them find their way out of the darkness. She helped so many people find their way, and we are thankful that the legacy she started with Pu’uhonua O Wai’anae will continue,” said Kaina Holomalia, a Waiʻanae native and Hōkūleʻa crew member.
PVS extends a heartfelt mahalo to E Ala Voyaging Academy, Waiʻanae Moku Civic Club, Nā Kama Kai, Sustainable Coastlines, Mālama Learning Center, NOAA Fisheries, NOAA Papahānaumokuākea, and Hawaiʻi Sea Grant (UH) for hosting and supporting Hōkūleʻa’s Pōkaʻī Bay visit.
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Become a Supporting Member of the Polynesian Voyaging Society in 2026 as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hōkūle’a’s 1976 maiden voyage to Tahiti and back. Be a part of honoring her legacy by fueling education, crew training, cultural perpetuation, and the continued journey of the Moananuiākea Voyage and beyond.
It was through grassroots community support that Hōkūleʻa sailed that historic voyage, revived our voyaging and navigation traditions and reignited pride throughout Polynesia.
In recognition of this milestone, PVS has reissued archival membership designs originally created to support the 1976 voyage. These designs honor the foundations of the voyaging movement and the shared responsibility that carried Hōkūleʻa to sea.
