What You Can Learn Crossing the Ocean in a Canoe | Lehua Kamalu | TED

Summary

This video script highlights the powerful experience of navigating traditional Polynesian canoes, reconnecting with ancestral knowledge and nature's rhythms. Leua Kamalu, a captain and navigator, shares her journey in reviving the ancient art of wayfinding, emphasizing the importance of deep ocean travel and the wisdom passed down through generations. She describes how modern voyaging efforts began in the 1970s, challenging prevailing scientific ideas about Polynesian navigation. Through her personal experience as the first woman to solo navigate a Hawaiian canoe traditionally, Kamalu reflects on the profound impact of mindful voyaging on both individuals and communities, ultimately shaping a better future.

Takeaways

• 😀 Being on a voyage requires unplugging, which can be emotionally challenging for some, but essential for focus and clarity.
• 😀 The main goal on a canoe is to safely and quickly navigate from start to finish, with all other distractions falling away.
• 😀 Leua Kamalu, the speaker, is a captain and navigator of traditional voyaging canoes and works at the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
• 😀 Traditional Hawaiian and Polynesian navigation connects distant islands, with voyaging canoes as the primary tool for this exploration.
• 😀 Over time, the need for deep ocean travel faded, and many of the customs, traditions, and navigators disappeared.
• 😀 Colonization led to the loss of navigational knowledge, and scientific ideas in the mid-20th century doubted Polynesian capabilities to navigate and build canoes.
• 😀 Despite historical skepticism, a team set out to rebuild traditional canoes and learn ancient navigation techniques, honoring their ancestral skills.
• 😀 The first traditional Hawaiian canoe was successfully rebuilt and launched in 1976, marking the rebirth of traditional navigation in the region.
• 😀 Leua Kamalu became the first woman to solo navigate the historic Hokulea canoe, using traditional methods without modern GPS or technology.
• 😀 Navigators rely on natural signs—patterns in the heavens, weather, waves, and even the scent of coconut—to guide their journeys across the ocean.
• 😀 Navigation requires constant awareness, using nature's cycles to stay on course and ensure the safety of the crew and the canoe.
• 😀 Traditional voyaging and navigation challenge modern views on travel and emphasize the impact of movement on both place and people, fostering respect and knowledge sharing.

Q & A

What is the primary emotional challenge people face on a voyage according to the script?

The primary emotional challenge is disconnecting from the outside world and unplugging, which can be difficult for some individuals.

What is the main responsibility of those on a canoe voyage as described in the script?

The main responsibility is to ensure the canoe is safely and efficiently navigated from the beginning to the end of the journey.

How did ancient Polynesians navigate across the Pacific before the need for deep ocean travel faded?

Ancient Polynesians navigated using traditional voyaging canoes, relying on knowledge of the stars, waves, weather, and other natural patterns to travel between distant islands.

What happened to the knowledge of traditional navigation and voyaging canoes over time?

The knowledge and skill of traditional navigation were lost over time, especially as colonization brought changes to the culture, and no navigators remained.

How was traditional navigation perceived by mainstream science in the 1950s to 1970s?

Mainstream science during that time believed that Polynesians could not have had the skills to build and navigate the canoes, suggesting their settlement of distant islands occurred by chance, driven by prevailing winds and currents.

Who helped revive the knowledge of traditional navigation and voyaging in Hawaii?

Mao, a teacher, came to Hawaii to help revive the traditional navigation techniques by teaching how to navigate using a traditional voyaging canoe.

What was the significance of the first modern voyaging canoe launched in 1976?

The launch of the first modern voyaging canoe in 1976 marked the beginning of the revival of traditional navigation in Polynesia and Hawaii, reintroducing skills that had been lost for centuries.

What is unique about Leua Kamalu's role in the history of Hawaiian voyaging canoes?

Leua Kamalu was the first woman to solo navigate the historic Hokule'a canoe, a significant achievement in the revival of traditional Hawaiian voyaging.

How do traditional navigators rely on nature during a voyage?

Traditional navigators rely on natural signs, including the stars, patterns in the waves, wind cycles, weather patterns, and sometimes even the scent of islands to navigate the canoe safely across the ocean.

What is the broader perspective on travel and navigation shared in the script?

The script emphasizes being conscious of where we go, how we show up in places, and the impact we have on those places and people, aiming for a respectful and meaningful journey that contributes to a better future for everyone.