In May, 2004, the Polynesian Voyaging Canoe Hokule'a completed a month-long voyage of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). The voyage was part of a multi-year educational effort called "Navigating Change," designed to encourage the people of Hawaii to be better stewards of our island home.
The curriculum for grades 4 and 5 included teleconferences between the canoe and classrooms. NWHI is now a national coral reef ecosystem reserve, and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world, and the voyage was intended to show Hawaiians what the marine and terrestrial ecosystems of Hawaii once were. The voyage also allowed research on the effects of human impact: how land use changes the water and marine environments.
The educational focus of Navigating Change was unique to East Oahu schools, partly because of the Maunalua watershed, which has 4 streams emptying from the mountains into Maunalua Bay. The Hawaii Kai community is actively involved in keeping the bay healthy, and helped create International Baccalaureate Programmes (IBP) at Niu Valley Middle School, Kaiser High, and Aina Haina and Hahaione Elementary Schools. The Kaiser Complex includes Kamiloiki, Koko Head, and Wailupe Schools. Specific focus areas at the 4 schools were invasive limu (Hahaione), marine debris (Kamiloiki), plastics (Wailupe), and overfishing (Waimanalo).
Through the voyage of the Hokule'a, educators hoped to bring back an awareness of Hawaiian culture and - most importantly - our Sense of Place. The ultimate goal was to fuse the Sense of Place with a responsibility to the environment in the 4th and 5th graders, through field trips, research, community involvement, and problem solving. The classroom study culminates in Community Awareness Day in Hawaii Kai May 9, 2009, with displays, speakers, and activities. Be sure and mark the date on your calendar to attend. (I'll include details in a later post.)
Hawaii offers such incredible beauty and resources, but needs our responsible stewardship to protect our islands for future generations. Community efforts such as Navigating Change and the continuing voyages of the Hokule'a are pivotal in focusing our awareness, and deserve our support.
Barbara Abe, Realtor
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
www.barbarashawaii.com
www.movetohawaiikai.com
808-226-2537
Many thanks to the East Oahu Sun for information in this article.
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