Thousands came out to welcome a boat back home to Hawaii. It had finished a three-year voyage around the globe. The Hōkūleʻa, a
Polynesian voyaging canoe, had sailed more than 40,000 nautical miles to 23 countries and territories. Throughout the trip, it spread a message of mālama honua
No modern instruments for navigation guided the crew members who sailed on each leg of the voyage. Instead, in a throwback to ancient times, they relied only on their understanding of nature's cues and their own na'au, or gut, to navigate safely. In this way, the voyage perpetuated the traditional wayfinding that brought the first Polynesians across the vast ocean to Hawaii more than 600 years ago.
But by the mid-1970s, there were no Polynesian navigators left. PVS members had to look beyond Polynesia to find one. They discovered Mau Piailug, from a small island called Satawal in the Federated States of Micronesia, among the last half-dozen people in the world who practiced traditional navigation. Piailug agreed to guide Hōkūleʻa to Tahiti.
In many ways, they did. Aside from successfully navigating around the world, crew members of the worldwide voyage were mindful both of sustainability and of the limitations their ancestors would have faced on such a journey. They slept in wooden bunks covered with waterproof canvases, and bathing was simple, recalled crew member Russell Amimoto.
In addition to a lack of plumbing, there were also no supermarkets at sea. During the journey, mealtimes consisted of what was available: fish. And it never went to waste, crew member Naalehu Anthony recalled in a blog post. Even when they landed an enormous 49-pound ahi, or yellowfin tuna, the crew made use of it.
Crew members hope the success of Hōkūleʻa's latest journey will inspire other indigenous peoples to rediscover and revive the traditions of their cultures. Thompson says he also hopes indigenous peoples can help with solutions to modern-day problems, such as climate change.
1
What is this Article mainly about?
Governor David Ige, Mayor Kirk Caldwell, and well-known navigator Nainoa Thompson spoke at a ceremony in Honolulu.
A small island called Satawal is the home of Mau Piailug, who was among the last half-dozen people in the world to still practice Polynesian navigation.
Bert Wong celebrated Hōkūleʻa's homecoming, in part because his son, Kaleo, was one of the vessel's navigators.
Hōkūleʻa's crew members returned home from a three-year journey that honored Polynesian culture and spread a message of sustainability.
2
What cause and effect relationship is described in this Article?
Because she wanted to learn more about how to fish for ahi, or yellowfin tuna, Ka'iulani Murphy joined Hōkūleʻa's voyage.
Because he had trained his son to be a Polynesian navigator, Bert Wong celebrated Hōkūleʻa's return to Hawaii.
Because the crew members only used their understanding of nature's cues to navigate, the voyage of Hōkūleʻa perpetuated traditional wayfinding.
Because the group wanted to show people that skilled mariners are no longer needed, the Polynesian Voyaging Society built a boat named Hōkūleʻa.
3
Which is the closest antonym for the word indigenous, as it is used in the Article?
Foreign
Dishonest
Trustworthy
Traditional
4
The reader can infer from the Article that __________.
Most modern sailors around the world rely on following nature's cues when they need to navigate ocean waters.
Leaders of the Polynesian Voyaging Society believe that life lessons can be learned from ancient Polynesian navigators.
Leaders of the Polynesian Voyaging Society are concerned about preserving ancient traditions because sailing is such a popular activity.
Most young people in Hawaii today are taught the skills of ancient Polynesian navigators while they are in school.
5
This Article would be most useful as a source for a student research project on
Efforts being made to preserve ancient cultures
Annual sailing competitions held in Hawaii
Typical hobbies of young people today
Life in the Federated States of Micronesia
6
The Article states:
Piailug knew something about the ways of ancient Polynesian navigators. They were not only skilled mariners, but also good stewards of the islands. They preserved resources while farming and fishing.
Which would be the closest synonym for the word stewards, as it is used above?
Spokespeople
Historians
Pilots
Caretakers
7
The author probably wrote this Article in order to __________.
Inform readers about a long journey completed by the crew of a Polynesian voyaging canoe
Inspire most young sailors to learn ancient methods of marine navigation
Summarize Ka'iulani Murphy's experience as an apprentice navigator on a double-hulled canoe
Create excitement about the founding of the Polynesian Voyaging Society
