Hawaii County and the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center invite the community to celebrate the art of noninstrument navigation with a month full of festivities in observance of Wayfinding Month, leading up to the ‘Imiloa Wayfinding Festival.
Hawaii County and the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center invite the community to celebrate the art of noninstrument navigation with a month full of festivities in observance of Wayfinding Month, leading up to the ‘Imiloa Wayfinding Festival.
For generations, the starry heavens guided sea voyagers from island to island across Oceania, pointing the direction to new landfalls and marking pathways to lead them home.
This history of human exploration across Earth’s largest ocean is truly one of the world’s epic tales of human migration. Early voyagers constructed sophisticated seagoing canoes from available natural resources, then sailed across open ocean using the light of the stars and cues from nature as their guides.
To celebrate centuries of noninstrument navigation, Mayor Billy Kenoi officially proclaimed October as Wayfinding Month, to be dedicated to community activities centered around the theme of the wa‘a (canoe).
Preparation for the festivities began in mid-September with the ceremonial cutting of an albizia tree for transfer to the shores of Hilo’s Bayfront. There, na kalai wa‘a (canoe carvers) will begin the carving and creation of a wa‘a kaukahi (single-hulled canoe).
The public is invited to watch the initial construction and transformation of the tree from a log to a canoe hull from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. today through Thursday at Hilo Bayfront.
The community can continue to watch the construction of the wa‘a during “Wa‘a Wednesdays” from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. October 12, 19 and 26, with an opportunity to talk story with some of the men and women who have been involved in the modern Hawaiian movement to perpetuate canoe carving. Following its completion and a community blessing, the wa‘a will launch into Hilo Bay waters at 10 a.m. Oct. 28.
Schools are urged to sign up their classes for field trip excursions to Hilo’s Bayfront throughout the month of October to observe the canoe building in action and learn about the art of wayfinding and canoe carving. To schedule a field trip, call Kalani Kahalioumi at the County of Hawaii offices at 961-8688.
Concluding Wayfinding Month will be the ninth annual ‘Imiloa Wayfinding Festival from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 29 at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center on the University of Hawaii at Hilo campus. This free community event will feature Hilo’s newest canoe built during Wayfinding Month, special planetarium programming and canoe activities for the entire ohana.
Other wayfinding activities in October include wa‘a talks with members of ‘Ohana Wa‘a at 4 p.m. Oct. 13 at Richardson Ocean Park and a wayfinding talk at 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. A Temple of Children mele mural activity will take place from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 22 at Palekai, Radio Bay.
For full event details visit ImiloaHawaii.org.