All Aboard Hōkūleʻa! Finding Our Way Across the Pacific by Stars, Waves, and Birds

In this episode, the Culture Train sails to Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, to meet Mark from the Polynesian Voyaging Society and step aboard Hōkūleʻa, a traditional double-hulled voyaging canoe. Kids learn how the Hawaiian Islands formed, what it means to sail using wayfinding (ancient, non-instrument navigation using the stars, sun, wind, and waves), and why this tradition still matters today.

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ABOUT THE POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY:

Founded in 1973 by Herb Kawainui Kāne, Ben Finney, and Tommy Holmes, the Polynesian Voyaging Society was created to prove that ancient Polynesians navigated across the Pacific with skill and purpose, not by accident. Their voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa ("Star of Gladness"), launched in 1975 and has since sailed over 300,000 nautical miles, carrying forward the practice of traditional wayfinding taught by master navigator Mau Piailug. Learn more and track Hōkūleʻa's real-time voyages at hokulea.com, or explore learning resources for kids at waahonua.com.

• Website: hokulea.com
• Social media: @hokuleacrew (Instagram and Facebook)
  Third canoe / educational platform: Waʻa Honua ("Canoe for the Earth"), https://waahonua.com/

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ABOUT TEACH AAPI:
This episode was created in partnership with TeachAAPI, a national nonprofit on a mission to build student belonging through AAPI education. TeachAAPI arms PK-12 schools with turn-key lesson plans and programming, trains educators in culturally responsive teaching, and supports them all year long.

Academic Materials for Educators:
TeachAAPI provides educators with books, activity boxes, performances, and a range of AAPI lesson plans - from quick mini lessons to two-week, cross-curricular units. Mini lessons are free and accessible to all.

Find the full classroom lesson paired with this episode, along with additional AAPI academic resources, at https://teachaapi.org/resources/.

• Website: teachaapi.org
• Instagram: @teachaapi
• LinkedIn: TeachAAPI

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A Note from Culture Kids: Grown-ups, if you haven't already, please consider making a small donation to our nonprofit, Culture Kids. We're a small team with a big dream, raising a generation of kids who are curious, globally minded, and ready to make friendships across every border, all while keeping our show ad-free. Every dollar helps us create more adventures and reach more families. You'll find the donation link below.

Links:
Donate: https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/
Website: culturekidsproductions.org
Instagram: @culturekidsproductions
YouTube: youtube.com/@culturekidspodcast

Credits:

Hosted by Kristen and Asher Kim
Executive Producer: Kristen Kim
Produced By: Culture Kids Productions, TeachAAPI, Polynesian Voyaging Society, Nikki Kealalio, Mark Ellis
Guest Host: Mark Ellis
Sound Design: Kristen Kim
Sound FX & Music: Envato Elements
Audio Engineering: Robin Lai
Academic Consultant: Elisha Li
GFX: Tessa Gin, TeachAAPI, Kristen Kim
Nonprofit Consultant: Jesseca Ryan, Emil Kang
Youth Advisor: Asher Kim