TED Talks Daily What you can learn crossing the ocean in a canoe | Lehua Kamalu
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Mar 6, 2025 Lehua Kamalu, a TED Fellow and third-generation captain, shares her insights on the transformative power of ancient Hawaiian ocean voyaging. She discusses the cultural significance of sailing without modern technology and what it means to connect deeply with nature while unplugging from the digital world. Kamalu emphasizes the wisdom gleaned from natural signs for navigation and how these experiences can foster meaningful human connections. Her personal stories highlight the importance of cultural identity through seafaring journeys.
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Voyaging and Unplugging
- Being on a voyage forces you to unplug and focus on your immediate tasks.
- Everything else falls away, creating a simplified and mindful experience.
Loss of Voyaging Tradition
- Traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoes connected distant islands, but the practice faded over time.
- Colonization and changing customs contributed to the loss of navigation skills.
Revival of Traditional Voyaging
- Despite prevailing scientific doubt, a team rebuilt a traditional canoe and revived the ancient navigation methods.
- Maupiailug, a Micronesian navigator, guided the maiden voyage to Tahiti in 1976.