A replica of vessels used by Polynesians thousands of years ago, the Hokule’a has traveled more than 150,000 miles (without instruments or charts) from her home port of Honolulu. On Tuesday, July 28 the ship will sail into Vineyard Haven Harbor for a three-day visit to Martha's Vineyard; the exact time is not yet known.

The goal of the trip is to “weave a lei of hope” by sharing the stories of people working to achieve a sustainable way of life.

A welcoming flotilla will greet the Hokule’a off West Chop and escorting her to the harbor, where she will tie up at Tisbury Wharf. The flotilla will included a muhsh8n (pronounced mishoon), a traditional dugout canoe created by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). The Hawaiian crew will display two strands of wampum sent to them from the tribe as an invitation to the Island. Sacred ceremonies will be conducted by the Wampanoag tribe and the Hawaiian crew to celebrate the visit, along with greetings from other Islanders and a delegation from the Edgartown School. There will be music and entertainment as the crew and public meet and greet each other.

On Wednesday, June 29 and Thursday, June 30 the Hokule’a will be open to the public at Tisbury Wharf from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visits are free and canoe tours are available, with tickets given out on a first come, first served basis.

There will be several exhibits to explore, including a star compass and presentations by the ship’s navigators, who will show how they steer by the stars. The crew will also conduct an activity about aloha aina, or sense of place. Other Island organizations will host exhibits about sustainable life, including the Wampanoag Tribe, Cottage City Oysters, Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, Island Grown Initiative, Felix Neck, Sassafras, BiodiversityWorks, and Edgartown school. The muhsh8n will also be on display.

There will be a wide range of activities for children, including making aloha aina flags, and teachers from Hawaii will conduct activities. The Martha’s Vineyard Museum will host a film tent with videos documenting the voyage and the Island’s sustainable organizations.

A sharing tent will feature various groups, including members of the Hokule’a crew, who will “talk story” about their lives and experiences. Hui Lehua from Boston will share hula, musician Faith Ako from California will perform Hawaiian music, and father/son duo Keikilani and Leokani Lindsey will come from Hawaii to present traditional and slack key music. Island performers will also take the stage.

Chef Jacqueline Foster’s Mangku food truck will be selling a Japanese/Balinese menu of rice bowls with local meat, fish, or farm eggs.

Parking is limited. Visitors are encouraged to park at the Tisbury Park and Ride lot and take the shuttle to the Steamship Authority; it is a short walk to the Tisbury Wharf. Drop-off for handicapped and elderly visitors is available at the wharf.

As all good things must end, the Hokule’a will depart for Woods Hole Friday morning, July 1.

To track the Hokule’a as she sails towards the Vineyard (guided by stars, waves, and flights of birds), visit hokulea.com/track-the-voyage/