This Monday was Wa‘a Day at Island School! Island School welcomed members of the voyaging community from the Wa‘a Kaulua Pae Kula Voyage program to campus for a day of learning, connection, and cultural celebration.

 

The Wa‘a Kaulua Pae Kula program engages schools and communities through the traditions of Hawaiian voyaging using Polynesian double-hulled canoes (wa‘a kaulua). The program introduces students to navigation, Hawaiian culture, and environmental stewardship, while encouraging students to adopt a “navigator mindset”, a proactive, thoughtful approach to planning, problem-solving, and decision-making, especially in the face of challenges. This mindset supports the growth of future leaders, stewards, and critical thinkers, while honoring the revival of wayfinding and connecting all youth in Hawaiʻi to Hōkūleʻa.