Jenna Ishii

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Oct 04, 2007
Waialae Kahala, Hawaii
Education Outreach Projects for Hawaii Association of Independent Schools
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Inspiring Navigators of the Future


Sep 17, 2009





When I was ten years old the teachers and parents at Hanahauoli School helped our fourth grade class build a small replica of Hokulea, 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 Hokulea for a voyage of 1,000 miles to Palmyra Atoll, and then return home with a mission to share my story with…that’s right…10 year olds in fourth grade classrooms across the state of Hawaii.

There is a problem to solve. Our compass, and indeed the world’s, points toward an unsustainable future. Just as Hokulea had inspired me when I was ten, I decided to ask our island youth about their vision for Hawaii and how they might imagine global change. I always start with the same belief. Just as on the canoe, our ability to survive here in Hawaii and globally is directly dependent on our ability to help one another.

If everyone on this planet could be a crew member on Hokulea for a day or a week, I believe we might find solutions to poverty, starvation, war, pollution and overpopulation. Since six billion people cannot all fit on a 62 foot platform, why not bring Hokulea to the world's people? Let's start in the classrooms of young people who still think it is cool to learn and still have hope for a brighter future.

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?” They usually pick their friends and family and people they trust and respect. And so do our captains. Of course, ocean experience and sailing competency are required of every crew member, yet the most important values on the canoe are:

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

Then I ask the students, "What would you bring on a deep sea voyage?" 10-year-olds are very smart. There is no mention of cell phones, iPods, video games, watches, microwaves, TVs, money, air conditioning or refrigerators. They understand the basic values and necessities for a group of people to survive in the middle of the ocean for days on end. Then I let the kids rummage through my gear bag and I show them how everything brought on the canoe has a purpose. 

I share pictures of daily life on Hokulea. 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 pack up my gear bag, I do my best to answer everyone's questions, and I can feel their spirits lifting with excitement. 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. Truthfully, I don't remember the facts I had to memorize for high school and college exams. What I do remember are my teachers who ventured beyond the standards of education and made learning relevant, challenging and exciting. Now that I have realized my childhood dream of voyaging on Hokulea, 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. 

We all can contribute in some unique way. It’s not too late to create a new sail plan for Hawai‘i and this world. I bet our fourth graders learning about the traditional ways of Polynesian Voyaging can help us find our way. 

Find out more at www.hokuleawwv.org and www.malamahawaii.org.




This Journal published through the 'Ohana Wa'a Holomoana Kanu Group.

Comments (3)

Sep 17, 2009
mailelaulii neff said...
Mahalo for sharing this Jenna. Truly inspirational.

Mahalo also to all the teachers who teach the teachers who will teach our future leaders.

Sep 17, 2009
Olin Lagon said...
Mahalo for sharing Jenna. I had to pause and think about how I would answer those questions. Would love to see videos or more pictures!

Sep 23, 2009
Scott Goold said...
Mahalo Jenna ~
Your words and story are totally inspiring! You are a wonderful leader. Please let me know how I can assist you in your amazing work ...

Aloha!

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