CREWMEMBER HIGHLIGHT: Nainoa Thompson
Nainoa going fishing.
Crew Profile: Nainoa Thompson
PVS Member Since 1975
HOMETOWN:
Niu Valley, Honolulu
PRIMARY DUTY:
Pwo Navigator
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
President of the Polynesian Voyaging Society
Nainoa Thompson is the president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and a Pwo navigator. Inspired by his kūpuna, his teachers, he has dedicated his life to exploring the deep meaning of voyaging. Among many other important mentors, Yoshio Kawano took him at an early age to tide pools to explore the mysteries of the inshore ocean; Herb Kāne introduced him to the stars his ancestors used to navigate great ocean distances; and Pwo navigator Mau Piailug taught him to see the natural signs he would use to guide Hōkūleʻa, a replica of an ancient Polynesian voyaging canoe, throughout Polynesia. Nainoa’s father taught him the universal values of voyaging – of having a vision of islands rising from the sea, of self-discipline, preparation, courage, risk-taking and the spirit of aloha that would bind a crew on arduous journeys.
On long voyages, under a dome of stars and surrounded by the vast empty ocean, Nainoa came to appreciate the Hawaiian concept of “mālama” – care taking. “Our ancestors learned that if they took care of their canoe and each other,” he has often told his crew, “and if they marshaled their resources of food and water, they would arrive safely at their destination.” Astronaut Lacy Veach, who observed the Hawaiian Islands from space, helped Nainoa understand “mālama” from a planetary perspective. “The best place to think about the fate of our planet is right here in our islands,” Veach told Nainoa. “If we can create a model for well-being here in Hawaiʻi we can make a contribution to the entire world.” From all these teachings comes the next great voyage of exploration – Hōkūleʻa’s journey around the world to “mālama honua” – care for the planet.
Nainoa is the recipient of numerous community awards, including the Unsung Hero of Compassion, awarded to him by His Holiness XIV Dalai Lama on behalf of the organization Wisdom in Action, the Native Hawaiian Education Association’s Manomano Ka ‘Ike (Depth and Breadth of Knowledge) Educator of the Year Award, the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, the BLUE Ocean Film Festival Legacy Award, the Peter Benchley Ocean Award for Excellence in Marine Exploration, the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal, and the Explorers Club Medal. He currently serves as a member of the Ocean Elders and leads Hōkūleʻa’s Worldwide Voyage.
On long voyages, under a dome of stars and surrounded by the vast empty ocean, Nainoa came to appreciate the Hawaiian concept of “mālama” – care taking. “Our ancestors learned that if they took care of their canoe and each other,” he has often told his crew, “and if they marshaled their resources of food and water, they would arrive safely at their destination.” Astronaut Lacy Veach, who observed the Hawaiian Islands from space, helped Nainoa understand “mālama” from a planetary perspective. “The best place to think about the fate of our planet is right here in our islands,” Veach told Nainoa. “If we can create a model for well-being here in Hawaiʻi we can make a contribution to the entire world.” From all these teachings comes the next great voyage of exploration – Hōkūleʻa’s journey around the world to “mālama honua” – care for the planet.
Nainoa is the recipient of numerous community awards, including the Unsung Hero of Compassion, awarded to him by His Holiness XIV Dalai Lama on behalf of the organization Wisdom in Action, the Native Hawaiian Education Association’s Manomano Ka ‘Ike (Depth and Breadth of Knowledge) Educator of the Year Award, the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, the BLUE Ocean Film Festival Legacy Award, the Peter Benchley Ocean Award for Excellence in Marine Exploration, the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal, and the Explorers Club Medal. He currently serves as a member of the Ocean Elders and leads Hōkūleʻa’s Worldwide Voyage.
Nainoa Thompson: Related Posts
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Native Oysters Return to Home of Hōkūleʻa
Right now dozens of small native animals are working together toward the monumental task of naturally filtering and cleaning the polluted waters around Sand Island at the home of Hōkūleʻa. -
Moananuiākea Film | December 6, 2018 @ Doris Duke Theatre
Catch an upcoming screening of the film celebrating the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage! -
UPCOMING SHOWS | Moananuiākea: One Ocean. One Canoe. One People.
Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, and Oʻahu screenings of the film about the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage. -
WORLD PREMIERE | Moananuiākea: One Ocean. One Canoe. One People.
Join us for the world premiere for the feature-length documentary about the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage. -
Master Navigators Featured at Events During Hōkūleʻa’s Maunalua Bay Visit
Dockside canoe tours continue at Hawaiʻi Kai Towne Center until May 23 -
Nainoa Thompson: Tribute to Buffalo Keaulana
Hōkūleʻa and her crew today took a day-sail to visit friends in Makaha at the Read more -
Hōkūleʻa Update | February 10, 2018: Nainoa Thompson
Today's update comes to us from none other than master navigator Nainoa Thompson en route to Puʻuloa, more commonly known today as Pearl Harbor -
Maryknoll School Commits to Care for the Earth with Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson
Maryknoll School held a tree planting ceremony today to mark a school-wide commitment to Mālama Honua (“care for the planet”) along with Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson. -
Hawaiʻi’s Mayors Commit to 100% Renewable Transportation
Aboard the deck of Hōkūleʻa, county leaders vow to transform Hawaiʻi’s public and private ground transportation to use completely renewable fuel sources by 2045 -
Nainoa Thompson Listed Amongst Coastal Living’s Ocean Heroes
Singer-songwriter and conservationist Jack Johnson names the master navigator in a list of scientists, advocates, and deep-sea legends who tirelessly fight to protect our oceans. -
Worldwide Voyage | Panina Hoʻomaikaʻi
Hōkūleʻa returns to the waters of Kualoa-Hakipuʻu to celebrate the spiritual closing of the Worldwide Voyage. -
Mālama Honua Summit | Inspirational Speakers Series: Part 1
A gathering of leaders from throughout the Pacific discuss the legacy and future of voyaging traditions at the Mālama Honua Summit. -
Crew Blog| Kekai Lee: I Belong to the Sea
Apprentice Navigator Kekaimalu Lee describes the challenges of navigating so far on this leg, and how advice from his mentors have helped him persevere. -
Hōkūleʻa Moʻolelo: Nainoa Thompson and Simultaneous Setting Stars
In this moʻolelo, written by Sam Low, Nainoa observes the stars in Tautira in 1976 as his ancestors would have done discovering the first clue to finding latitude. -
Hōkūleʻa Moʻolelo: Tautira and Puaniho Tauotaha
This moʻolelo, written by Sam Low, takes us back to Hōkūleʻa’s first voyage to Tahiti and Nainoa Thompson’s first impressions of the Tahitian people. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | Return to Taputapuatea
Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia honor the ancient voyaging legacy at the sacred marae at Taputapuatea. -
Nainoa Thompson Receives Explorers Medal
Thompson awarded most prestigious recognition in exploration for his historic work on Polynesian wayfinding. -
Hōkūleʻa Mo‘olelo: The Pwo Ceremony
Exactly ten years ago, on March 17th, 2007, Pius Mau Piailug held a ceremony to initiate 16 of his students as Pwo - Master Navigators - perpetuating the ancient art of wayfinding. -
A Stirring Message in Recognition of Kahoʻolawe
Master navigator Nainoa Thompson and students send their support to the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana, currently celebrating 40 years of Aloha ʻĀina. -
Hawaiʻi Students Connect Live with Hōkūleʻa Crewmembers
While Hōkūleʻa makes her way around the globe, crewmembers are finding ways to engage our children Read more -
Manaiakalani: The Hook from Heaven
The legendary stories of Maui-Tikitiki-A-Taranga continue to inspire the many students of the Manaiakalani School Cluster. -
Nainoa Thompson honored with an Ocean Conservation Legacy Award
Pwo navigator and PVS president Nainoa Thompson was recently honored with the 2016 Legacy Award at the annual BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit. -
Vote Now for Team Hōkūleʻa!
inHōkūleʻa crewmembers have been honored as nominees for 2017 National Geographic Adventurers of the Year. -
Worldwide Voyage | Honoring Lacy's Legacy
The Worldwide Voyage celebrates the life and legacy of Hawaiʻi astronaut and great explorer Lacy Veach. -
Hōkūleʻa departs Haverstraw, NY
After severe weather delays due to Hurricane Matthew, Hōkūleʻa departed Haverstraw, NY late at night on Monday, October 10th, for the Chesapeake Bay. -
Molokai’s Mālama Honua Shines
Culture is front and center in celebrating an icon of mālama honua. -
Worldwide Voyage | Our Ocean Conference
Pwo navigator Nainoa Thompson expresses his vision of sustainability and environmental consciousness at a gathering hosted by the U.S. State Department. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | Honoring Mohawk Language Leaders
The crew of Hōkūle‘a and ʻAha Pūnana Leo honors the woman and community who made an impact in Hawai‘i’s immersion programs -
Worldwide Voyage | Voices of the Pacific
Leaders from around the Pacific gather in Hawaiʻi for the IUCN World Conservation Congress to discuss how we can collectively mālama honua. -
An Ocean Perspective for a Planet at the Crossroads
inA conversation between Ocean Conservancy’s CEO Andreas Merkl and Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and navigator of the iconic Hōkūle‘a, as Hawaiʻi hosts the IUCN World Conservation Congress. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | July 31, 2016
The Worldwide Voyage brings Hōkūleʻa to a historic visit to Nova Scotia, Canada. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | Nainoa Thompson Presentation at the National Institute of Health
Master navigator Nainoa Thompson presents on the health and well-being of Native Hawaiians following the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | New York Liberty Challenge
Worldwide Voyage crewmembers participate in the annual canoe regatta along the shores of New York City. -
Island Heart: Tangier
Hōkūleʻa made an imperative stop at Tangier Island to learn about the plight of fellow islanders. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | New York City Arrival - Part 1
The Worldwide Voyage was welcomed into New York City with a mixture of Native American and Hawaiian protocol. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | World Oceans Day
Hōkūleʻa celebrates Worlds Oceans Day at the United Nations. -
Hōkūleʻa Arrives in New York City!
The Worldwide Voyage comes to the Big Apple. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | US State Department Offers a Message in a Bottle
Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment greets the canoe with a "message in a bottle" from Secretary of State John F. Kerry -
Worldwide Voyage | Hull Springs Farm
Hōkūleʻa visits Hull Springs Farm, Longwood University's living and breathing outdoor classroom. -
Crew Blog | Darren Kamalu: The Physics of Raising the Mast
Behind the collective task of lowering and raising Hōkūleʻa's two masts are valuable physics lessons. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | April 7, 2016
Worldwide Voyage crewmembers tour the Kennedy Space Center, connecting sea and space voyaging. -
Honoring Hawaiʻi's Astronauts
Inspired by the common values of exploration and protection of our planet, Hōkūleʻa and Worldwide Voyage crewmembers honor Hawai'iʻs two astronauts near the John. F Kennedy Space Center. -
Crew Blog | Todd Yamashita: Moving Up the Okeechobee
"Why go through the trouble? In the 41 years and 170,000 nautical miles of voyaging, Hōkūleʻa and her intrepid voyagers have always chosen the meaningful path over the easy." -
Hōkūleʻa Update | March 30, 2016
In a historic first, Hōkūleʻa sails across Florida via the Okeechobee Waterway to reach the east coast. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | March 26, 2016
The Worldwide Voyage crew is welcomed by Native American tribes and National Park Service at Everglades City. -
Sir Richard Branson Welcomes Hōkūleʻa
Two leaders share their respective efforts and thoughts about ocean conservation. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | March 4, 2016
After spending five days in St. John, Hōkūleʻa continues onto the British Virgin Islands. -
Bringing the Voyage Home
While Hōkūleʻa is halfway around the globe, crew members are finding ways to engage our children here in Hawaiʻi. -
Tutudesks
The Hōkūleʻa crew contributes to the Tutudesk campaign by donating lap desks with mālama honua inspired art to schools in South Africa. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | Mālama Honua-inspired Tutudesks
The Polynesian Voyaging Society donates Tutudesks to South African schools. -
Celebration of Friendship Highlights
Watch some of the highlights as Hōkūleʻa is officially welcomed to Cape Town, South Africa. -
Worth the Risk
16,000 nautical miles into the Worldwide Voyage, Hōkūleʻa faces the most dangerous leg to date. -
Worldwide Voyagers to Join President for Astronomy Night
Hōkūleʻa crewmembers Jenna Ishii and Kaʻiulani Kimura will be joining President Obama at the second-ever White House Astronomy Night -
HPA Students Receive Call from Hōkūleʻa
Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy students receive a call from pwo navigator Nainoa Thompson. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | October 5, 2015
Master navigator Nainoa Thompson reports on navigation and sailing conditions en route to Madagascar. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | October 4, 2015
The crew of the Hōkūleʻa set sail for South Africa, the most ambitious leg of the Mālama Honua Worldwide voyage yet -
East-West Center Honors Nainoa Thompson
At a gala dinner celebration the East-West center celebrated its 55th year and honored master traditional navigator Nainoa Thompson -
Bali Green School
Worldwide Voyage crewmembers explore the unique Bali Green School where open learning space fosters sustainability and creativity among students and teachers. -
Voyaging for the Future: Great Barrier Reef
The Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage visits the Great Barrier Reef and crewmembers learn about the collaborative management plan for this ecological wonder of the world and the lessons it has on how they care for their own environments -
Reef Guardians
Wordwide Voyage crewmembers visit a Reef Guardian school where students learn by preserving the Great Barrier Reef. -
Hōkūleʻa Update | July 20, 2015
Hōkūleʻa and her crew of 13 departed Stokes Hill Wharf in Darwin, Australia this afternoon Read more -
Nainoa Thompson Honored with the 2015 Peter Benchley Ocean Award
"I am honored to accept this award on behalf of my teachers who came from some of the greatest explorers our Earth has ever seen.” -
Hōkūleʻa Arrives into Coffs Harbor, Australia
Hōkūleʻa crosses the Tasman Sea into Australian waters for the first time in her 40-year history. -
Departure Ceremonies Prepare Hōkūleʻa for New Horizons
Pacific nations entrust traditional navigators with declarations to protect the world's oceans. -
Manaiakalani: High-End Polynesian Tech
Mālama Honua brings Hawaiʻi's education leaders to the Manaiakalani schools to learn about their innovative education practices. -
Nainoa Thompson to Receive Exploration Award
Nainoa Thompson will receive the 2015 Exploration Award during the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards ceremony in Washington D.C. this month. -
Give Me Your Children
A love and respect for ʻāina or place is tied to an aloha for ʻohana… ties that are more than evident here in Waimea, home to the voyaging canoe Makaliʻi that was built by some of Hōkūleʻa’s original crewmembers. And now their own children are training even younger voyagers, who are well-connected to and care deeply for this place. -
Inception of the Worldwide Voyage
Nearly 40 years ago, the founders of the Polynesian Voyaging Society dreamed of rebuilding a double-hulled canoe similar to those of our ancestors. And on March 8th, 1975 Hōkūleʻa was born. Birthed in the waters of Hakipuʻu. -
Apia Arrival & UN Secretary General
The UN Secretary-General shares a personal message with the crew onboard Hōkūleʻa while at in Apia, Samoa. -
Bright Spots
New ways of thinking are shared at the Bright Spots Exchange. -
Hōkūleʻa Welcomes the United Nations Secretary-General
The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and President of Republic of Palau, Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., sailed aboard Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia.
