MEDIA KIT

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Sonja Swenson RogersPolynesian Voyaging Societysonja@pvshawaii.org(808) 745-3386

Christine Matsuda SmithBennet Group christine@bennetgroup.com(808) 753-7134

Hōkūle‘a Homecoming Ceremony and Celebration

Magic IslandSaturday, June 17, 20177:00am to 5:30pm

The culmination of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, Hōkūle‘a’s historic return to Hawai‘i on June 17, 2017 will be celebrated at Magic Island, O‘ahu, with a cultural welcoming ceremony followed by an all-day grand celebration open to the entire community.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Arrival 7-8:00 AM Four local wa‘a kaulua head to Magic Island marina.

· Arrival Times:7:00 – Nāmāhoe / 7:30 Mo‘okiha / 7:45 Makali‘i / 8:00 Hawai‘iloa

· Transport and arrival protocols for each of the four wa‘a at maukaboat ramp.

· A kia‘i and a chanter will escort each crew to ceremony site.

8:30 Okeanos and Fa‘afaite canoes head to Magic Island marina. · Arrival Times:

8:15 Okeanos / 8:30 Fa‘afaite · Transport and arrival protocols for each of the two wa‘a at mauka

boat ramp. · Kia‘i to separately escort each crew to the ceremony holding area.

9:00 Hikianalia enters marina and docks along bank. Hōkūle‘a enters marina and ties up to floating dock at Marker 7.

9:30 Hikianalia crew is transported to floating dock.

9:45 Hikianalia and Hōkūle‘a crews disembark and are escorted to special demarcated area on the bank for arrival protocols. Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia crews are then escorted to Kāli‘i site where they are joined by the full crews of Fa‘afaite and Okeanos, and two leaders from each of the four local wa‘a.

10:00 Kāli‘i Rite conducted by Hale Mua.

10:15 Wa‘a leadership and crews are led to seating in the tent. Public fills in the ceremonial space and prepares for the formal ceremony.

Homecoming Ceremony10:30 Wehena – Opening:

· Pū· Oli Wehe/Oli Aloha - Manu Boyd· Pule Ho‘omaika‘i - Kahu Danny Kaniela Akaka, Jr. & PVS ‘Ohana· Oli: “Pō Kahiki i Ka Uahi Ē” - Snowbird Bento· Oli: “Mele a Kaha‘i” - Kalani Akana

10:45 ‘Aha ‘Awa: · Ritual of Preparation and Serving - Lāiana Kānoa-Wong

· PVS & ‘Ohana Wa‘a Leadership (5); special seating on stage for ‘awa· Key Dignitaries & Special Guests (5); special seating on stage for ‘awa

11:05 Ha‘i‘ōlelo 1: Governor David Ige – 5 min.

11:15 Ha‘i‘ōlelo 2: Mayor Kirk Caldwell – 5 min.

11:25 Ha‘i‘ōlelo 3: OHA CEO Kamana‘opono Crabbe – 5 min. After speech, ‘awa participants return to reserved seats; strike chairs, move podium

11:35 Hō‘ike: Lt. Gov. Byron Mallot of Alaska makes presentation

11:45 Mele: “Mālama Honua Welo i ka Ni‘o” - Manu Boyd leads audience in new song

11:55 Hula Pahu: “A Ko‘olau Au—Kaulilua—‘Au‘a ‘Ia” - Multiple hālau hula

12:10 Ha‘i‘ōlelo 4: PVS President Nainoa Thompson – 15 min.

12:25 Panina – Closing: · “Hawai‘i’s Pride by Eddie Aikau” – Ken Makuakāne leads audience; cue

video of Aikau and Hōkū & Hiki. Emcees acknowledge audience and crew—segue to lunch.

12:30 Pū

12:30-1 PM Break – Lunch – Screening of Mālama Honua Voyage Highlights— Resent Tent

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Ho‘olaulea‘a Concert1-1:20 (20) OLOMANA - Jerry Santos, Haunani Apoliona, Ku‘uipo Kumukahi,

Ryan Tang.

1:20-1:30 (10) MC fill:

1:30-1:45 (15) JON OSORIO, Duncan and Jamaica. “Hawaiian Eye” & “Hawaiian Soul” (cue Helm & Aikau footage).

1:45-1:50 (5) MC fill:

1:50-2:20 (30) KAPENA: Kelly Boy, Kapena, Kalena, Lilo De Lima End with song “Hōkūle‘a, Mālama Honua” (cue NY footage).

2:20-2:30 (10) MC fill:

2:30-2:55 (25) KEAUHOU: Zack & Nick Lum and Kahanuola Solatorio Spontaneous hula by multiple hālau in the audience.

2:55-3:00 (5) MC fill:

3:00-3:10 (10) AULI‘I CARVALHO: “How Far I’ll Go” with soundtrack (cue “Moana” footage)

3:10-3:15 (5) MC fill:

3:15-3:30 (15) LEON & MALIA

3:30-3:35 (5) MC fill:

3:35-3:45 (10) STEVE GRIMES: “Ocean Road”

3:45-3:50 (5) MC fill:

3:50-4:10 (20) KAINANI KAHAUNAELE, Ānuenue Pūnua, Mahina Paishon Duarte

4:10-4:15 (5) MC fill:

4:15-4:40 (25) TAHITI MANA

4:40-4:45 (5) MC fill:

4:45-5:20 (35) JOHN CRUZ, BROTHER NOLAND & PAULA FUGA

5:20-5:25 (5) MC & NAINOA Mahalo to audience

5:25-5:30 (30) “Hawai‘i Aloha” – JOHN, BROTHER NOLAND & PAULA – Program Pau

5:30 Saga of Hōkūle‘a CD/Various video clips on screen

Parking:· No general parking in Magic Island,

strictly enforced

· Limited handicap parking in MagicIsland, must have placard-holder inthe car with ID, strictly enforced

· Encouraging public transportationand off-site parking to alleviateexpected congestion;

· HPD may shut down Ala MoanaPark Drive as needed

· Offsite parking available withshuttles running as needed from7:00 AM - 6:30 PM

· Free parking at McKinley HighSchool, enter at Pensacola St.

· Paid parking at Hawai‘i ConventionCenter, enter at Kalakaua Ave.

For most updated and more information: www.Hokulea.com

Food:· Participating vendors will be using compostable items; no one-time use plastics

· PVS encourages reusable water bottles, coconut filtered water stationsprovided by Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation

· Participating food vendors:

Ahi Ambassadors

Da Spot

Hale Kealoha

IL Gelato

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Hawaiian Plate and Mix Plate

Teddy’s Bigger Burgers

Waimānalo Country Farms

Other:· Pop-up tents only allowed around

perimeter of multi-purpose field

· No canoe tours or entry ontoHōkūle‘a

· PVS commemorative Homecomingt-shirts available for sale

FACT SHEET

The Mālama Honua Worldwide VoyageThe Worldwide Voyage, sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines, began in 2013with a Mālama Hawai‘i sail around the Hawaiian archipelago. Since then, Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia, the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s voyaging canoes have been sailing across Earth’s oceans using only ancient wayfinding practices as part of a global movement toward a more sustainable world. The Hawaiian name for this journey, Mālama Honua, means “to care for our Earth” and this mission seeks to engage communities worldwide on practicing how to live sustainability while sharing the Polynesian culture, learning from the past and from each other, creating global relationships, and inspiring action to care for our Island Earth. At its completion in June 2017, the voyage of Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia will have covered a combined 60,000 nautical miles, over 150 ports, and 23 countries and territories worldwide.

Facts and Figures:• Hōkūle‘a – Approximately

40,300 nautical miles traveled

• Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia willhave covered a combined60,000 nautical miles

• More than 150 ports visited

• 23 countries and territoriesvisited

• Eight UNESCO World HeritageMarine sites visited

• 245 participating crewmembers

• Over 200 formal and informaleducators participated as crewmembers on the WorldwideVoyage and Statewide Sail

Notable friends of the voyage include: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Secretary of State John Kerry, Sir Richard Branson, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Jackson Browne, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Sally Jewell, Republic of Palau President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. and more.

The Wa‘a (traditional voyaging canoes)• Hōkūle‘a, the Polynesian

Voyaging Society’s legendarywa‘a (traditional voyagingcanoe), was first launched in1975. Through her voyages,Hōkūle‘a has sparked areawakening of Hawaiianculture, language, identityand revitalized voyagingand navigation traditionsthroughout the Pacific Ocean.

• Hikianalia, a modern Polynesianvoyaging canoe and sistercanoe to the Hōkūle‘a, usessustainable solar and windenergy to combine the latestecological technology withthe heritage of the voyagingtradition. She is equippedwith the communicationstechnology that will allowus to connect to the globalcommunity.

FACT SHEET

Traditional NavigationThe Worldwide Voyage uses traditional Polynesian wayfinding techniques, including observations of the stars, the sun, the ocean swells, the winds, birds, and other signs of nature. As the first modern-day Polynesian to learn and use wayfinding for long-distance, open-ocean voyaging, Nainoa Thompson has led the revival of this traditional Pacific art and science. Throughout the voyage, the crew has shared the art of Polynesian wayfinding with students of all ages around the world.

The CrewHōkūle‘a is sailed by a crew of 12-13 and Hikianalia is sailed by a crew of 14-16. The crew has rotated out at major ports of call, training in Honolulu in preparation for subsequent legs. The Polynesian Voyaging Society prepared for the Worldwide Voyage for more than six years, including two years of intensive crew training. The voyage focused on training the next generation of navigators and voyagers, who in 2017 have been responsible for guiding Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia back to Polynesia after circumnavigating the globe. These young crew members have embodied the mission of Mālama Honua, and on their travels, continue to inspire others to care for our Island Earth.

FACT SHEET

Awards and Recognitions

Hōkūle‘a Crew

• One of the 10 Most Inspiring Adventurers of the Year by National Geographic (2016)

• One of the nine ‘Islanders of the Year,’ HONOLULU Magazine (2017)

Nainoa Thompson

• NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award (2016)

• BLUE Ocean Film Festival Legacy Award (2016)

• Peter Benchley Ocean Award for Excellence in Marine Exploration (2015)

• National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal (2016)

• University of Hawai‘i Honorary Degree Recipient (2016)

• David Malo Award presented by the West Honolulu Rotary Club (2016)

• 2017 Explorers Club Medal (2017)

Ocean Commitments and Declarations

1. Promise to Children

2. Promise to Pae‘Āina

3. UN Message in a Bottle

4. Palau Declaration

5. The Pacific Oceanscape Vision

6. French Polynesia

7. America Sāmoa

8. Western Indian Ocean Marine ScienceAssociation

9. WIPCE Youth Declaration

10. US State Department Message in a Bottle

11. 2030 Pacific Ocean Partnership

12. Hawai‘i 30 by 30

Global Speaking Engagements

• UN Ocean Conference (2017)

• National Institute of Health (2016)

• United Nations World Oceans Day (2016)

• U.S. State Dept. Our Ocean Conference (2016)

• International Union for Conservation of Nature(2016)

• Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) UN Conferenceon Small Island

• Developing States (SIDS) (2014)

After Three-Year Journey, Legendary Voyaging Canoes Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia Return HomeHawai‘i Celebrates with Homecoming Ceremony and Mālama Honua Fair and Summit

Hōkūle‘a has successfully circumnavigated the globe, and on June 17, Hawai‘i will welcome her home. The historic day will include a cultural welcoming ceremony followed by a grand celebration with entertainment, food booths and Voyage video highlights. Continuing the festivities, a series of additional homecoming festivities are planned during the week following arrival. The Mālama Honua Fair and Summit, a three-day event, will emphasize the voyaging, cultural and environmental missions of the Worldwide Voyage by sharing mālama honua “stories of hope” and voyage-inspired activities with the public.

Advanced media credentialing will be required for access to the events listed below. Media access will be strictly limited to those with credentials secured in advance. Please visit https://goo.gl/forms/GZgGpqSAFF8cJk3G3 to request media credentials for upcoming events.

OVERVIEW OF MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:Homecoming Ceremony and Celebration

Saturday, June 17

Magic Island 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Mālama Honua Fair and Summit

Sunday, June 18 – Tuesday, June 2010:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Hawai‘i Convention Center 1801 Kalakaua Ave

Inspirational Speaker Series

Monday, June 19Hawai‘i Convention Center 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tickets: $125 per person

MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release: June 9, 2017

Saturday, June 17 Homecoming Ceremony and Celebration Magic Island, 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Hawai‘i’s iconic voyaging canoe Hōkūle‘a will conclude its epic three-year sail around the globe and return home to the Hawaiian Islands. The mission of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines was to weave a lei of hope around the world through sharing indigenous wisdom, groundbreaking conservation and preservation initiatives while learning from the past and from each other, creating global relationships, and discovering the wonders of the Island Earth.

Program Details (subject to change):• 7:00 - 8:00 a.m., Four local voyaging canoes arrive at Magic Island

• 8:30 a.m., Two canoes, Okeanos Marshall Island and Fa‘afaite, fromthe Pacific arrive at Magic Island

• 9:00 a.m., Hikianalia and Hōkūle‘a sail into Ala Wai Boat HarborChannel with several escort canoes

• 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Welcome Ceremony

• 12:30 p.m., Press conference and media availability

• 1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Hōkūle‘a Homecoming Ho‘olaule‘a featuringentertainment, food booths, voyage video highlights, etc.

June 17 Parking Information:• McKinley High School, 1039 South King St

• Free, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• Shuttle departs frequently from Pensacola Street

• Parking attendants present

• Enter parking from Pensacola Street

• Hawai‘i Convention Center, 1801 Kalakaua Ave

• $10 per day, 7:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m.

• Shuttle departs frequently from the ground floor.

• Enter the parking from Kalakaua Avenue, Makai bound

Media check-in: Media will be required to register and obtain access passes at the media tent at Magic Island before proceeding to media vantage point. Please register for credentials and access here. Media access will be strictly limited to those with credentials secured in advance.

EVENT DETAILS

EVENT MAP

ToiletTrailer1KITVTruck1AccessibleToilets

GeneratorsWaterStation

KITVTruck2SoundTowersKHONSetLightPoleGeneratorGeneralPressDecksBackstage(bikerack)

82’X113’Ceremony

Tent

WaterStation

BikeValetKupuna Tent

ToiletTrailer2

Sunday, June 18 – Tuesday, June 20, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Hawai‘i Convention Center, 1801 Kalakaua Ave

The summit will highlight the voyaging, cultural, environmental, educational and health and well-being missions of the Worldwide Voyage. The public will be able to step onboard Hōkūle‘a during canoe tours at the Ala Wai Promenade. The event will also feature voyage-inspired merchandise including books, DVDs and clothing.Summit sessions will inspire attendees with breathtaking stories from the round-the-world voyage. Leaders will call for commitments from attendees and their communities to carry the values of Mālama Honua - caring for our Island Earth - into the future.

MĀLAMA HONUA FAIR AND SUMMIT

Monday, June 19 Inspirational Speaker Series Hawai‘i Convention Center, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tickets: $125 per person

The Mālama Honua inspirational speaker series will feature standout local and global speakers who have touched the canoes and their crews during the worldwide voyage. Due to expected volume of demand, reservations are highly encouraged at www.hokulea.com/summit.

Megan Smith, 3rd Chief Technology Officer, United States Former Vice President of Google [x], a Google facility that develops the company’s “moonshots,” or high-achieving technological advancements. Smith was also Vice President of Business Development at Google for nine years and served as general manager of Google.org, the company’s social impact arm.

Dieter Paulmann, Founder and Chairman, Okeanos Foundation for the Sea Since 2007, The Okeanos Foundation has been working with voyaging societies across the Pacific to develop and build a fleet of seven traditionally designed, fossil fuel-free double masted Vaka Moanas representing 10 island nations for a 2-year voyage across the Pacific inspiring a renaissance in traditional vaka culture, ocean stewardship and engagement. Today, Okeanos’ new vaka technology connects the past with the future including solar panels and coconut oil-fueled engines for fossil-fuel free transport of people, food, medicine, and supplies between South Pacific Islands.

Byron Mallott, Lt. Governor, State of Alaska As the former CEO of Alaska Native corporation Sealaska, Mallott supported the gifting of two 200-foot-long Sitka spruce logs for the building of deep sea Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hawai‘iloa. Mallott, now Alaska’s lieutenant governor is a major advocate for climate change action and is currently working to advance environmentally-conscious policies.

Sylvia Earle, Founder of Mission Blue and SEAlliance, Ocean Elder National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, called Her Deepness by the New Yorker and the New York Times, Living Legend by the Library of Congress, and first Hero for the Planet by Time Magazine. Earle an oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer. Formerly Chief Scientist of NOAA, Earle is the Founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research, Inc., Founder of Mission Blue and SEAlliance, Chair of the Advisory Councils of the Harte Research Institute, and the Ocean in Google Earth.

Featured speakers include:Jean-Michel Cousteau The son of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel has investigated the world’s oceans aboard Calypso and Alcyone for much of his life. Cousteau is the founder of Ocean Futures Society and has produced over 80 films, received the Emmy, the Peabody Award, the Sept d’Or, and the Cable Ace Award, and is a syndicated columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

Captain Don Walsh Oceanographer, explorer, and former submarine captain. With a long and storied career in undersea systems, Walsh was the first submersible pilot in the U.S. and has made 25 expeditions to the Arctic.

Nainoa Thompson, President, Polynesian Voyaging Society Pwo navigator and mentor to an entire generation of young voyagers, Thompson has played a central role in the resurgence of Polynesian wayfinding. Through the Worldwide Voyage, Thompson has helped draw awareness to the importance of using traditional wisdom and indigenous science to solve the world’s most pressing environmental concerns, sharing the values of Mālama Honua--caring for our Island Earth.

MĀLAMA HONUA FAIR AND SUMMIT

About Hōkūle‘a: A symbol of cultural revival, the history of Hōkūle‘a is also being shared on this journey to inspire other indigenous cultures. This replica of an ancient Polynesian voyaging canoe was built 40 years ago and revitalized voyaging and navigation traditions throughout the Pacific. The canoe’s twin hulls allow her to handle large ocean swells and recover easily in the troughs of waves, and her triangular canvas sails can harness winds up to 20 knots. Hōkūle‘a first set out on the Pacific Ocean in 1976. Through the revival of the traditional art and science of wayfinding-navigating the sea guided by nature using the ocean swells, stars, and wind, Hōkūle‘a sparked a Hawaiian cultural renaissance and has reawakened the world’s sense of pride and strength as voyagers charting a course for our Island Earth.

MĀLAMA HONUA FAIR AND SUMMIT

About the Polynesian Voyaging Society:The Polynesian Voyaging Society was founded in 1973 on a legacy of Pacific Ocean exploration, seeking to perpetuate the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential educational programs that inspire students and their communities to respect and care for themselves, one other, and their natural and cultural environments.

For more information about the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the Worldwide Voyage, visit www.hokulea.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Google+.

To access iconic photos and b-roll from the Worldwide Voyage, visit www.hokulea.com/press-room/

To access b-roll, interviews and still photographs from Hōkūle‘a’s historic homecoming to Magic Island, visit https://drive.google.com/drive/

Note: assets will be available by 8:00 a.m. HST on June 18, 2017.

MULTIMEDIA ASSETS

NAINOA THOMPSONPWO NAVIGATOR, CAPTAIN, PRESIDENT OF THE POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY

Over the past 35 years, Nainoa Thompson has inspired and led a revival of the traditional arts associated with long-distance ocean voyaging in Hawai‘i and throughout Polynesia. He is the first Hawaiian to practice the art of wayfinding on long distance ocean voyages since such voyaging ended in Hawai‘i around the 14th century. He studied traditional non-instrument navigation under Micronesian master navigator Pius Mau Piailug of Satawal, Yap. Nainoa now teaches a system of wayfinding, or non-instrument navigation, that he developed by synthesizing traditional principles of ancient Pacific navigation and modern science.

Devoted to education, Mr. Thompson continues to develop and implement a multi-disciplined, culturally relevant program focused on teaching children of Hawai‘i the values of Polynesian voyaging. The program emphasizes both traditional and modern scientific knowledge of the environment, and stresses the importance of ecocultural principles of conservation toward ensuring a safe, healthy, sustainable future for Hawai‘i and Island Earth.

Mr. Thompson is a graduate of Punahou School and the University of Hawai‘i, where he earned a BA in Ocean Science. He is a licensed commercial boat pilot and certified advanced diver. He is the recipient of numerous community awards, including the Unsung Hero of Compassion, awarded to him in 2001 by His Holiness XIV Dalai Lama on behalf of the organization Wisdom in Action; and the Native Hawaiian Education Association’s Manomano Ka ‘Ike (Depth and Breadth of Knowledge) Educator of the Year Award. Nainoa currently serves as a member of the Ocean Elders and as president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

BRUCE BLANKENFELDPWO NAVIGATOR, CAPTAIN, POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY

Bruce Blankenfeld became involved with the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) in 1977 by volunteering on Hōkūle‘a training sails and with construction and repair of the wa‘a kaulua in drydock. Since then, he has voyaged thousands of miles throughout Polynesia, Micronesia, Vancouver, Alaska and Japan. Through extensive training and experience, while sailing more than 100,000 miles, he became a master navigator – using traditional, non-instrument methods. He led Hōkūle‘a’s recent, extensive renovation, and is currently the Voyaging Director for PVS’s Worldwide Voyage, as well as the Vice Chair of the PVS Board of Directors. Mr. Blankenfeld is a popular and inspiring lecturer on Polynesian navigating, voyaging and wayfinding.

Mr. Blankenfeld is a fisherman who remains active in the paddling community as a paddler, coach and president of the Board of Directors of Hui Nalu Canoe Club. He is a long-time member and kayaker with the Hawai‘i Canoe & Kayak Team, and works fulltime as a stevedoring contractor for McCabe, Hamilton & Renny.

BIOGRAPHIES

BIOGRAPHIES

CHAD KALEPA BAYBAYAN PWO NAVIGATOR, CAPTAIN, POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY

Chad Kālepa Baybayan holds a Masters in Education, is fluent in the Hawaiian language, and is captain and navigator of the Hawaiian deep-sea voyaging canoes Hōkūle‘a, Hawai‘iloa, and Hōkūalaka‘i. He has been an active participant in the Polynesian voyaging renaissance since 1975 and has sailed on all major voyages throughout the South Pacific, the West Coast of North America, Micronesia, and Japan.

Kālepa was the past Site Director of Honuakai, the Exploration Sciences Division of ‘Aha Pūnana Leo Inc., which teaches Hawaiian through an immersive environment to the crew aboard the Hōkūalaka‘i. He currently serves as Navigator in Residence at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i, developing wayfinding curriculum and conducting outreach activities.

In 2007, Kālepa and four other Hawaiian men were initiated into the order of Pwo, a two thousand year old society of deep-sea oceanic navigators by histeacher, Master Navigator Mau Piailug on the island of Satawal.

BILLY RICHARDSCAPTAIN, POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY

Billy Richards has been a vital part of the Polynesian Voyaging Society since its inception and was a crewmember on the inaugural 1976 voyage of the Hōkūle‘a. Richards serves as a director on several public service, Native Hawaiian and educational boards, including Paepae O He‘eia, Bishop Museum Association Council, and ‘Aha Kāne. He has held management positions in both the public and private sector, primarily in the field of aquaculture. He spent close to two decades at The Oceanic Institute, a private non-profit research organization.

Currently, Billy is the Director of Communications for Partners in Development Foundation, a public not-for-profit company that serves the Native Hawaiian community through social and educational programs. He has been involved with Hawai‘i’s voyaging community since 1975 and has voyaged aboard the wa‘a kaulua (double-hulled voyaging canoes) Hōkūle‘a, Hawai‘iloa, Makali‘i and Hokualaka‘i throughout the Pacific. He is presently the President of “The Friends of Hōkūle‘a and Hawai‘iloa” and serves as co-chair of ‘Ohana Wa‘a, a round-table collaborative of voyaging organizations from all of the Hawaiian Islands.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Sonja Swenson RogersPolynesian Voyaging Societysonja@pvshawaii.org(808) 745-3386

Christine Matsuda SmithBennet Group christine@bennetgroup.com(808) 753-7134