It is with great humility and pride that I take pen in hand to submit the newest issue of Hulili to you. Even in this day and age of sophisticated technology and rapid pace, one of the most amazing and inspiring things about being human is the power of the spirit and the depth of connections that it brings, binding us to each other, to animate and inanimate life forms, to the past of our ancestors, and yet so vigorously to the future. From these connections come our values, and this fourth volume of Hulili speaks strongly about Hawaiian values. The writings carry clear messages about kuleana (responsibility), imi naauao (seeking knowledge), and the importance of olelo (language) and ohana (family). Our contributors voice the tremendous kuleana to revitalize the knowledge of our ancestors, using it to create a vision for our future as conveyed in the powerful moolelo (story) about the rebirth of voyaging in Hawaii, about the undeniable responsibility to care for our kupuna (elders), our iwi (bones), our wahi pana (sacred places), and about building the strength of our communities through the power of culture-based ed...

Every journey begins with a dream, a vision that can unite others. When people come together around a set of shared values, they can achieve extraordinary things. It is true that every voyage has its share of hardships. Sometimes the challenges come from outside the community, and other times they come from within. Most often they come from inside ourselves, stemming from feelings of fear and inadequacy. We rely on our teachers and leaders to guide us through times of crisis, to inspire hope, and to point us toward new horizons. This essay pays tribute to the visionaries, teachers, and leaders of the Hawaiian voyaging movement. For me, these powerful teachers are Mau Piailug, Herb Kane, Eddie Aikau, and my greatest teacher, my father, Myron Thompson....