Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 6, 1 Iune 2017 — NAVIGATING the PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NAVIGATING the PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE

By Kathy Muneno >• Nainoa Thompson grew up on his grandfather's dairy in the ahupua'a of Niu on the island of O'ahu. He is the son of a social worker, Myron "Pinky" Thompson, and of a ehampion for the environment, Laura Thompson. Nainoa's identity is defined by who he calls the "greater navigators": Mau Piailug, Will Kyselka, Eddie Aikau and his father. Nainoa says his greatest navigator is his father, who taught him how to navigate his hfe and how to stand up for what he beheves in. Nainoa's first teacher in the oeean was a Niu Dairy deliveryman Yoshio Kawano, who took Nainoa as a httle boy to Maunalua Bay. At the age of 20, Nainoa volunteered to help Herb Kawainui Kane sail a small prototype of Hawai'i's first voyaging eanoe in 600 years. Herb pointed to the heavens and shared his dream of the stars guiding the eanoe to Tahiti. Nainoa's life changed instantly. He was selected as a crew member on Hōkūle'a's first return voyage from Tahiti to Hawai'i in 1976. In 1980, after studying with Hōkūle'a's first navigator Mau Piailug and Bishop Museum planetarium lecturer Will Kyselka, Nainoa became the first native Hawaiian to navigate a deep sea voyaging eanoe to Tahiti and back, without instruments, since such voyaging ended in Hawai'i around the 14th century. Nainoa created a system of wayfinding that SEE THŪMPSŪN ON BACK PAūE

NAINŪA TH0MPS0N

Photo: Courtesy 'Oiwi TV

> TH0MPS0N

CONTINUED FR0M INSIDE synthesizes his teachings and discoveries and has gone on to teach dozens of others across the Pacific. Nainoa is a graduate of Punahou School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Oeean Science at the University of Hawai'i. He is the President of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and driven by a vision of not only exploration and perpetuation of voyaging and wayfinding, but of a healthy, caring island earth for children and generations of children ahead. Nainoa serves as a trustee of Hanahau'oli School and served as a trustee of Kamehameha Schools from 2001 to 2011. He also serves as a special advisor to the President of the University of Hawai'i on Native Hawaiian affairs and is Regent Emeritus of the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents. Nainoa doesn't want his awards listed but here are some, with a clear message that they represent the work of Hōkūle'a and the thousands who have supported her voyages over the past 42 years: the Ellison S. Onizuka Memoiial Award from the National Education Association, the Manomano Ka'ike Educator of the Year Award from the Native Hawaiian Education Association, National Geographic's highest honor the "Hubbard Medal," the Explorer's Club highest honor "Explorers Club Medal," and an honorary Doctorate from the University of Hawai'i. ■