Something profound had changed in the cosmos when the Hōkūle‘a first glided across the sands and entered the shimmering waters of sacred Kualoa in 1975 — it had been many centuries since a double-hulled voyaging canoe had graced Hawaiian waters. But it was her return from a triumphant journey to Tahiti and back in 1976 that quieted the critics and created a shift in the Hawaiian psyche: Hōkūle‘a had become an icon of Hawaiian competence.

Upon such wa‘a kaulua (double-hulled canoe), our ancestors transported people, landscapes, ideas and aspirations as they traversed the largest body of water on Earth at will. Hōkūle‘a emerged at a time of great cultural resurgence that elevated and amplified the importance of Hawaiian culture, language, native rights and self-determination. The whole notion of navigating by the stars as our kupuna did inspired us to redirect our attention to our own ancestral sources of knowledge and learning.

Since the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage began last year, students and teachers from throughout Hawaiʻi are finding their way into the Pacific to engage the voyage at different locations — some have even set their sights on places such as Capetown, South Africa, New York and Rapa Nui over the next three years. Such travel experiences are critical in strengthening young peoples’ identity as citizens of the Pacific and the greater world.

Fundamentally, Hōkūle‘a is about education. For four decades, Hōkūle‘a has been a beacon of learning, illuminating the world’s understanding of Polynesian ancestral ingenuity and demonstrating its global capacity to serve humankind. Hōkūle‘a is an intergenerational classroom for families and communities, a science laboratory for exploring new knowledge, a venue for leadership development, a living library with an amazing collection of stories that connect the very ancient, to what has yet to be discovered.

Hawai‘i’s top education leaders from the Department of Education, the University of Hawaii, private schools such as Punahou, ‘Iolani, and Kamehameha, and other institutions of learning have formed an unprecedented partnership: Guided by the principles of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage — caring for Island Earth — these education partners are working together to help transform education in Hawai‘i.

They are challenging their faculties to robustly engage the voyage by turning classrooms and campuses into extensions of the wa‘a. They are supporting the development of innovative curriculum and research, and encouraging educators to share knowledge across institutions. They are promoting virtual engagement via hokulea.com, where one can track the voyage live, and experience stunningly vivid videographic "learning journeys" of community-based sustainability projects at locations along the voyage. It feels like being right there with members of the crew.

Perhaps the greatest reward from all of these efforts is to witness students applying their global knowledge and understanding of sustainability with a sense of Pacific identity, and seeing how it is shaping their attitudes and behaviors as emerging leaders.

These efforts are embodied in a doctrine endorsed and signed by all education partners: Promise to Children. Excerpts read:

"We are the stewards and navigators of Hawai‘i’s educational community. We believe our schools, collectively, from early childhood education through advanced graduate studies, are a powerful force for good … This is the voyage of our lifetimes, and we are steadfast in our commitment to achieve a profound transformation in education … We will transform our schools, empower youthful voices, and accept the responsibility of Mālama Honua. We believe that by inspiring children to explore, discover and learn about Island Earth, they will navigate the future of humanity toward vitality, renewal, and compassion."

As Hōkūle‘a bids farewell to our Māori ‘ohana of Aotearoa, makes her way down under to Australia to honor the aboriginal nations, and continues westward to circumnavigate the Earth, she will continue to be that beacon of learning, that icon of competence and excellence that reflects the educational transformation our children so richly deserve. Kīauau, hukiauau, kōauau — Ke aloha nō!

Dr. Randie Kamuela Fong is vice president of cultural affairs at Kamehameha Schools, education sponsor of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage.