Nainoa Thompson, Ramsay Taum and Lucy Lee ’23 will talk about Malama Honua, a vision for a better future, culturally inclusive sustainable development and place-based business practices.
Q&A session to follow. Pupu and refreshments will be served.
Free parking available on campus.

This event is part of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) CIFAL Honolulu speaker series which supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Update: Nainoa Thompson is unable to join this discussion because the Polynesian voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia have set sail to Hawaiʻi’s ancestral homeland of Tahiti. We wish them the best on their journey.

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. Thompson’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, Thompon 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 Thompson 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 Thompson. “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. Thompson 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.

Ramsay Taum is the founder and president of the Hawaii based Life Enhancement Institute (LEI) of the Pacific LLC, Cultural Sustainability Planner at PBR HAWAII & Associates, and serves as the Director and Program Coordinator of the Pacific Islands Leadership Institute (PILI) at HPU, and was recently appointed Executive Director of the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs (HIPA). His work in promoting sustainable place-based, and Hawaiian cultural stewardship principles and practices is acknowledged locally, nationally, and internationally. Kumu Ramsay is a recognized cultural resource and sought-after keynote speaker, lecturer, trainer, and facilitator.

Lucy Lee is an Environmental Studies major at Chaminade University and a Hokulea student navigator and voyaging assistant of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. She was one of five student navigators invited on a training expedition of Hokulea and sister voyaging canoe Hikianalia to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in 2021.

CIFAL Honolulu Centre is part of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). It is the 21^st international training and research center of the CIFAL Global Network and the only center located in the Pacific Region. CIFAL Honolulu aspires to empower Pacific peoples to create a sustainable future that reflects their values and the priorities of their communities.