Seattle’s Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian residents, city officials and community members are planning a special welcome for Hōkūleʻa and her crew as the Polynesian voyaging canoe sails from Suquamish and enters Elliot Bay at approximately 8:00 am on Saturday, August 26, 2023. Tribal Nations protocol will open the way for a flotilla of outrigger paddling canoes, the City’s fire boat, and other vessels that are planning to give Hōkūleʻa a water welcome before escorting the canoe towards the Seattle Waterfront. (Note: Arrival ceremony times are subject to change based on Tribal Nations protocols and water conditions. Please check hokulea.com for updates.)
When Hōkūleʻa docks at Pier 62 at 9:45 am, the crew will engage in landing rituals before proceeding to the event space for a welcome ceremony at 10:30 am led by the Suquamish and Muckleshoot Indian tribes. Hawaiian greeting protocols will be followed by remarks by Seattle city officials, Hōkūleʻa navigator Nainoa Thompson, and the indigenous arts and culture group, Unkitawa who will be hosting a pow-wow throughout the afternoon. The public will have an opportunity to tour the legendary voyaging canoe from 1 to 4:30pm.
On the following days of Hōkūleʻa’s four-day visit to Seattle, the canoe will be docked at Bell Harbor Marina where the crew will be conducting public canoe tours and participating in public engagements at the Seattle Aquarium, Patagonia Seattle and the Burke Museum (visit www.hokulea.com for updates on public events).
HŌKŪLEʻA PUBLIC EVENTS
August 26-30, 2023
Saturday, August 26, 2023
HŌKŪLEʻA ARRIVAL CEREMONY, Pier 62 Waterfront Park, 1951 Alaskan Way
8:00 a.m. Outrigger Canoe Community and escort vessels gather for Water Welcome
8:30 a.m. Suquamish bring Hōkūleʻa to Elliott Bay to be greeted by the Muckleshoot
9:00 a.m. Tribal Nations Greeting Protocol
9:30 a.m. Welcoming flotilla moves towards Pier 62
10:00 a.m. Hōkūleʻa docks at Pier 62 – Traditional Landing Rituals
10:30 a.m. Tribal Nations and Seattle City Welcome Ceremony
1-4:30 p.m. Hōkūleʻa Dockside Canoe Tours
**Public encouraged to bring their own chairs, water bottles and food. Water filling
stations will be available.
**(Note: Arrival ceremony times are subject to change based on First Nations protocols and water conditions. Please check hokulea.com for updates.)
HŌKŪLEʻA DOCKSIDE CANOE TOURS at Pier 62 Waterfront Park, 1951 Alaskan Way, 1-4:30 pm
Sunday, August 27, 2023
HŌKŪLEʻA DOCKSIDE CANOE TOURS, 1-3 pm
Bell Harbor Marina, 2203 Alaskan Way
HŌKŪLEʻA CREW AT SEATTLE AQUARIUM, 1-3pm
1483 Alaskan Way
Meet Hōkūleʻa crewmembers and learn about traditional Polynesian voyaging, navigation, nautical knot tying, educational activities and the Moanauiākea Voyage
PRESENTATION BY PWO NAVIGATOR BRUCE BLANKENFELD, SEATTLE AQUARIUM, 3:30-4:30 pm
Learn about the storied history of Hōkūleʻa, traditional navigation and the Moananuiākea Voyage
AN EVENING WITH HŌKŪLEʻA’S CREW AT PATAGONIA SEATTLE, 6:00 - 8:30 pm, 2100 First Avenue, RSVP at patagonia.com/seattle
Meet and “talk story” with Moananuiākea Voyage crew members at this evening presentation and reception
Monday, August 28, 2023
HŌKŪLEʻA DOCKSIDE CANOE TOURS, 1-3 pm
Bell Harbor Marina, 2203 Alaskan Way
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
PRESENTATION BY PWO NAVIGATOR NAINOA THOMPSON, 3-5pm
Burke Museum, 4303 Memorial Way NE
Weather permitting, Hōkūleʻa is scheduled to depart Seattle for Tacoma on August 30, and will arrive at noon for a welcome ceremony at the Foss Waterway Seaport Museum.
Hōkūleʻa’s Seattle engagement is being organized and hosted by the Suquamish Tribe, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Port of Seattle, Friends of the Waterfront Seattle, Visit Seattle, and others. Tacoma planning efforts involve the Puyallup Tribe, the Foss Waterway Seaport Museum, and a host of volunteers including Hawaiian and Pacific Islander performers. Overall coordination for both cities was provided by the Seattle-Tacoma Community of Kānaka, Hawaiʻi-affiliated groups, the outrigger canoe community, and supporters of Hōkūleʻa.
Hōkūleʻa has been sailing from Southeast Alaska since the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) held its global launch of the four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific in Juneau, Alaska on June 15. The canoe and her crew are currently sailing through British Columbia where they continue to engage with First Nations communities.
The Moananuiākea Voyage, led by PVS, will cover an estimated 43,000 nautical miles around the Pacific, visiting 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 indigenous territories and more than 300 ports.
The goal of the voyage is to ignite a movement of 10 million “planetary navigators'' by developing young leaders and engaging communities around the world to take part in navigating earth towards a healthy, thriving future. The voyage itself is a global educational campaign that will amplify the vital importance of oceans and indigenous knowledge through port engagements, education and storytelling shared via a virtual “Third Canoe'' called Waʻa Honua, which translates to “a canoe for the earth” (www.waahonua.com). PVS and its educational partners are creating stories, and lessons for all ages with the goal of inspiring people to care for and make better choices for the earth.
For additional information on PVS and the Moananuiākea Voyage, visit www.hokulea.com or follow @hokuleacrew on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.