Kamaola’s Campus Stay Inspires Learning

There was a sense of curiosity and wonder on campus as Kamaola, Punahou’s double-hulled sailing canoe, became a hub of learning from October to December during its dry dock. After patching, sanding and painting took place at Mauliola (Sand Island), what better place finish lashing and rigging than on campus, where the Punahou community could witness, help and learn from the process.

Housed under a large white tent in front of Castle Hall, the waʻa provided students of all ages the opportunity to connect with Hawaiian navigation, teamwork and cultural values. As part of the Punahou Hawaiian Voyaging Program, a place-based interdisciplinary learning experience, Kamaola serves as a living classroom, bringing lessons to life in meaningful, hands-on ways.

During Kamaola’s time at Punahou, kindergarten and first-grade students explored the parts of the waʻa and learned about the star compass. Students wrote messages of aloha and mahalo to the ocean on the underside of the pola (deck) in non-toxic ocean-safe crayon that will wash off at sea when Kamaola sails. Third graders, guided by the concept “He moku he waʻa, he waʻa he moku,” discovered how teamwork and individual kuleana (responsibility) contributes to the success of a team, whether on a canoe or within a community. They, too, wrote messages of gratitude to the ocean. In fourth grade, students discussed how the value of lokomaikaʻi (generosity and kindness) applies both to their lives and within the context of the waʻa. Eighth grade Hawaiian Studies students learned about the parts of the waʻa, as well as essential knots used for sailing. 

The experience also resonated with older students. Ninth graders in Introduction to Social Studies heard stories from past voyages, drawing connections to political science and geography. Seniors in the Kilohana elective discussed navigation as a metaphor for life and finding purpose. Hawaiian II Honors and Hawaiian III students engaged in hands-on learning with waʻa parts, knot-tying and the values of laulima (cooperation) and kōkua (helpfulness), assisting with work on the canoe. In Positive Psychology, students explored how voyaging embodies service to something greater than oneself, aligning with their studies on meaning as an element of well-being. Meanwhile, Drawing II students shared their artistic views of Kamaola through sketches.

In addition, members of the Mālama Honua elective class, students visiting from Rūrutu French Polynesia, and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi students assisted with lashing, working alongside the regular crew. Adding to the celebration, Kamaola marked a special occasion during her time on campus – her third lā hānau (birthday) on Oct. 22. In December, Kamaola returned to Mauliola (Sand Island), where the final stages of rigging will prepare her for the spring semester.

Kamaola’s stay at Punahou was a strong testament to the waʻa’s dual purpose. Not just as a vessel, Kamaola is as a classroom that fosters learning through the lens of history, culture and voyaging traditions.

– By Rachel Breitweser ’03 with reporting from Kathleen Connelly. Photos by Kathleen Connelly.

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