Jenna Ishii, photo credit: Angela Fa‘anunu

When I was ten years old the teachers and parents at Hanahau‘oli School helped our fourth grade class build a small replica of Hōkūle‘a, the Polynesian voyaging canoe. For weeks we had researched the traditional foods and belongings we would need to survive on a long-distance voyage.

Under a clear night sky, we packed our gear, piled on the canoe, and our parents and teachers rolled us across the kickball field on our maiden voyage to Tahiti. We only traveled about 100 feet on solid ground but we felt like Polynesian explorers. Little did I know that one day, I would join the crew of Hōkūle‘a for a voyage of 1,000 miles to Palmyra Atoll, and then return home with a mission to share my story with children in classrooms across the state of Hawai‘i.

My mission is fueled by the desire to help meet the global challenge of redirecting our social and environmental compass, which currently points toward an unsustainable future. Just as Hōkūle‘a had inspired me when I was ten, I decided to ask our island youth about their vision for Hawai‘i and how they might imagine global change. I always start with the same metaphor: Just as on the canoe, our ability to survive here in Hawai‘i (and globally) is directly dependent on our ability to help one another.

My visits to fourth grade classrooms have helped me understand that looking through the eyes of a ten year old is a valuable perspective when searching for a better understanding of sustainable living. I ask them, "If you could choose 12 crew members for a deep sea voyage, who would you bring and why?" also, "What would you bring on a deep sea voyage?" Through these exercises I am also able to incorporate the most important values on the canoe:

• Mālama Kekahi I Kekahi - Care for one another
• Ha‘a Ha‘a - Be respectful
• ‘Imi ‘Ike - Seek knowledge
• Laulima - Work together
• Mālama Hawai‘i - Care for Hawai‘i

I also share pictures of daily life on Hōkūle‘a, a big hit. One brave kid always asks the bathroom question. I show the students a picture of a crew member wearing a harness and dangling off the leeward side of the canoe. They all laugh and giggle. I turn to the next picture of someone bathing with ocean water, catching fish with a hand line, collecting rain water with a tarp, and playing ukulele for entertainment. Last is a picture of our crew members learning to steer and navigate using the sun, moon, stars, wind, waves, clouds, swells and seabirds. They are amazed at the simplicity of life on the canoe and the complexity of navigating without modern instruments. As I wrap up my visits, I look into their eager eyes and tell them to keep dreaming and working hard in school so one day they can voyage on the open ocean and become navigators of their own futures.

I would like to thank my teachers in elementary school who taught me values of love, respect, teamwork, and perseverance and allowed me to dream big and paint outside the lines. Now that I have realized my childhood dream of voyaging on Hōkūle‘a, I want to spark a fire in young people to become active and engaged citizens of their schools and their communities. I want to inspire hope and imagination in those who still believe that our island earth can be a healthy and safe place.

You can find this article and more inspiring pieces in the HonuGuide 2010: Hawaii’s Sustainable Island Living Guide

About the author:
Jenna Ishii was on the voyage of Hōkūle‘a to Palmyra atoll in 2009. Jenna is training along with many other young voyagers to crew Hōkūle‘a on its journey around the world, sharing a message of mālama honua, care for the earth.