New Event: An Evening with The Polynesian Voyaging Society and Nainoa Thompson at Herbst Theater, San Francisco

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 
5:30pm-8:00pm (doors open at 5pm) 

Tickets available here

Adults – $10. Youth 18 & under – Free.

We are thrilled to announce that one of our invaluable partners, The Polynesian Voyaging Society, has invited the public to a presentation by Navigator Nainoa Thompson on Tuesday September 26 at 5:50 pm.

Nainoa will talk about Hōkūleʻa, the legendary voyaging canoe that revived the lost art of Polynesian voyaging and navigation and propelled a cultural renaissance in Hawaiʻi. In particular, he will discuss Hōkūleʻa’s Moananuiākea Voyage, a circumnavigation of the Pacific that will cover an estimated 43,000 nautical miles, 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 indigenous territories and more than 300 ports.

Hōkūleʻa is scheduled to sail into San Francisco’s Aquatic Park Cove for a public welcoming celebration on Sunday, September 24, noon to 5 pm.

Nainoa Thompson, founder of The Polynesian Voyaging Society, has led the rediscovery and revival of the ancient Polynesian art of navigation. Through his voyaging, teaching, and engagement, he has opened a global, multigenerational dialogue on the importance of sustaining ocean resources and maritime heritage. Nainoa has dedicated his life to exploring the ocean, maintaining the health of the planet and ensuring that the ancient marine heritage and culture of Polynesia remain vibrant into the future. 

Thompson is the first Native Hawaiian in 600 years to practice the ancient Polynesian art of navigation:  long-distance open-ocean voyaging on a traditional double-hulled canoe without the aid of modern instruments.  His work has led to a renewed understanding and revival of traditional voyaging arts lost for centuries due to the disappearance of such travel methods and the colonization and Westernization of the Polynesian archipelagoes.