Updates
50 Years Ago Today, Hōkūleʻa Makes Landfall In Papeʻete, Tahiti.
50 years ago today, Hōkūleʻa’s maiden voyage to Tahiti ended with a greeting by an estimated 17,000 people at Papeʻete. Guided by Master Navigator Mau Piailug of Satawal, Micronesia, this was the first voyage of a Polynesian long-distance deep-sea voyaging canoe in 600 years. What began as a bold vision to prove the voyaging achievements of our ancestors became a defining moment for Hawaiʻi and all of Polynesia.
Moananuiākea Voyage | 2026 Update
“To me, this is not a delay. It’s not a setback. To me, it’s a stepping stone of learning.”
– PVS CEO and Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson on new changes to the Moananuiākea Voyage Sail Plan.
Pacific Voyaging and Ocean Leaders Convene in Rapa Nui to Strengthen Cultural Connections and Advance Ocean Protection
The convening brought together voyaging leaders, scientists, ocean experts, cultural practitioners, community leaders and government representatives from across the Pacific to strengthen ancestral relationships, share voyaging knowledge and collaborate on ocean conservation initiatives with a particular focus on the high seas.
PVS Announces Japan Stops In 2027 As Part of The Moananuiākea Voyage!
Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa will visit Japan for the first time in 20 years!
Polynesian Voyaging Society and Kamehameha Schools Complete Cultural Exchange and Site Visits Across Taiwan in Preparation for 2027 Arrival of Hōkūleʻa
(Taipei, Taiwan) — A delegation from the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) and Kamehameha Schools (KS) recently concluded a 10-day cultural exchange...
Polynesian Voyaging Society Honors the 50th Anniversary of Hōkūleʻa’s 1976 Maiden Voyage to Tahiti.
This year, the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) commemorates a defining moment in Hawaiʻi’s history: the 50th Anniversary of the maiden voyage of...
A Tribute to Pwo Navigator Milton “Shorty” Bertelmann
The Polynesian Voyaging Society honors the life, leadership, and enduring legacy of Pwo Navigator Milton “Shorty” Bertelmann, a foundational leader of Hōkūleʻa and a quiet pillar of the Polynesian voyaging renaissance..
Crew Reflection: Nā Inoa Kaulana
And so today, I witnessed something rare. Our crew took time to add the names of two individuals who have left us in the physical world but still guide us as we sail these waʻa kaulua. Captains and Pwo Navigators Kālepa Baybayan and Shorty Bertelmann names were added to the navigator’s platform. Kālepa on the starboard hull next to Nainoa and Shorty on the port side next to Mau.
Crew Reflection: Leave It Better Than You Found It
We are coming up on a week in our time here in Aotearoa and it’s amazing to see how well our crew has found our rhythm to accomplish the tasks at hand….