Hinemoana Returns To Te Waipounamu On A Mission To Strengthen Māori & Pacific Languages, Leadership & Mental Resilience

The majestic waka hourua Hinemoana is returning to Te Waipounamu, carrying a vital kaupapa: revitalising Māori and Pacific languages, building leadership, and fostering resilience in young people through the ancient art of wayfinding.

Led by Trust Flying Geese, in partnership with Te Toki Voyaging Trust and mana whenua, Hinemoana continues to be a bridge between past and future.

Flying Geese trustee and ocean voyager Faumuina Felolini Maria Tafuna'i says Hinemoana reconnects rangatahi, educators, and corporate leaders with the wisdom of Pacific ancestors. The two-month visit from May builds on voyages and programmes that saw Hinemoana sail all the way to Rakiura Stewart Island in winter last year.

Te Toki kaihautū Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr says the trust is committed to ensuring the traditional knowledge and practices of ocean navigation remain alive.

“To do this, we must share waka hourua skills with communities all across Aotearoa,” says Barclay-Kerr. "It's not just about voyaging, it's about creating a community that knows how to care for and maintain a waka hourua."

Wayfinding for Life: overwhelming demand for indigenous navigation-based learning

The Wayfinding for Life programme, which runs out of Whakaraupō Lyttelton and integrates traditional wayfinding with mental resilience and suicide prevention strategies, has been oversubscribed for 2025. Initially funded for 300 students, the programme has already registered 380 students from 11 Canterbury schools, with a waitlist continuing to grow.

“Wayfinding teaches rangatahi how to navigate through life’s challenges, just as our tūpuna navigated and voyaged across the vast Pacific,” says Tafuna’i. “It’s about mental strength, leadership, and belonging.”

The programme is supported by Rātā Foundation and J R McKenzie Trust.

A waka of words: creating Māori & Pacific language resources

A key focus of Hinemoana’s mission is the development of new Māori and Pacific language resources inspired by life on the waka. Crew sailing from Porirua to Ōtautahi will spend time writing and creating stories, songs, poetry, and illustrations to capture and preserve the unique language of voyaging.

“Our waka holds language, stories, and knowledge that we must ensure are passed down, not lost," says Tafuna'i. “We want to share the daily life of being a voyager on a waka hourua and translate these stories into as many Pasifika languages as possible.”

These resources will connect culture, language, and lived experience, providing engaging ways for schools, libraries, and communities to learn indigenous knowledge.

Wayfinding Institute: Professional development and corporate sails

Hinemoana will also serve as a platform for professional development courses for educators, community leaders, and corporate teams. These courses will deepen participants’ ability to use wayfinding as a strategic framework for leadership, resilience, and cultural capability.

In addition, corporate sails will be offered as a team-bonding and leadership experience, where participants will learn firsthand the principles of collective leadership, trust, and adaptability—key skills essential in both business and life.

“Wayfinding is about reading the environment, adapting, and leading with vision,” says Tafuna’i. “These are skills that apply not only at sea but in leadership, business, and personal growth. We are excited to bring corporate teams and educators on board to experience leadership through the wisdom of our ancestors.”

A living classroom on the moana

Over the past year, Trust Flying Geese has:

Trained local Māori and Pasifika facilitators to deliver wayfinding-based learning

Taken rangatahi on longer voyages to strengthen their cultural connections

Mentored young sailors towards becoming captains, ensuring succession for future generations

With more than 50 waka hourua sails completed and 650 rangatahi reached in 2024, Wayfinding for Life has had a profound impact on mental resilience, cultural connection, and leadership development.

Feedback from rangatahi highlights how learning to navigate, tie knots, and read the stars has transformed their confidence and sense of belonging.

Join the voyage: schools, businesses, and community leaders invited aboard

As Hinemoana sails into Te Waipounamu, we invite:

Schools to register rangatahi for Wayfinding for Life

Educators and community leaders to take part in professional development training

Businesses to experience corporate leadership sails

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