Namahana Students Visit Hoʻākea in Hanalei

This month, we are especially grateful for our first entire school-wide field trip to Hoʻākea, an event led and hosted by the Hawaiʻi Department of Education to expand our students' knowledge of waʻa (voyaging canoes).

While in Hanalei, the students studied navigation from kūpuna, learned on the pier with voyagers from across the state, did knot and trust work, assembled waʻa models, and heard moʻolelo about Hōkūleʻa. The students also cleaned the Hanalei Pier in an exercise rooted in being good guests and giving back on our visit.

This experience was a beautiful manifestation of Namahana School's vision—learning that extends beyond classroom walls into our community, where students engage with real-world knowledge keepers and cultural practices. Watching our keiki connect with the wisdom of traditional voyaging was a powerful reminder of why we do this work.