When the Hawaiian Island chain developed from a hot spot on the ocean floor and began bursting through the surface of the Pacific Ocean, it obviously didn’t have any inhabitants. Eventually, Polynesian explorers arrived from faraway lands — and they made this long journey in double-hulled canoes.
POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY actually has re-created trips using replicas of the POLYNESIAN DOUBLE- HULLED VOYAGING CANOE and similar navigation techniques. In fact, its most-famous vessel, HŌKŪLE‘A , recently concluded its multiyear sail around the world to chart a new course toward sustainability and spread the message of mālama honua (“to care for Island Earth”).