I found this quote
in my late husband, Peter’s, journal, and recalled the first
day I met him at a meeting convened by Admiral Watkins to talk about
national ocean education policies. Over lunch, we discovered a mutual
fascination with native ways of knowing our ocean planet. He cared
so for the knowledge that led to a deep understanding and passion
for the Earth. He revered the wisdom of those who came before, wiser
about ways of the Earth, navigating unknown seas guided only by what
Peter called “wind, waves and stars.”
He believed that
in our human quest for progress, we almost lost that knowledge. By
1973, there was only one known deep-sea navigator. Thompson and others
sat at the feet of elders and listened and learned, reviving their
cultures, their pride, their skills, and sailed that wisdom into this
century. Today, there are nine navigators, with more in training.
At the NMEA conference
in Hawaii in 2005, the Polynesian Voyaging Society shared their passion
for traditional knowledge (http://www.pvs-hawaii.com).
Founded on a legacy of Pacific Ocean exploration, they seek to restore
this ancient tradition so that present and future generations will
continue to gain knowledge through lessons learned out on the sea,
while preserving the ancient voyaging traditions.
According to the
PVS website, “the society’s first project was to build
a replica of an ancient voyaging canoe. On March 8, 1975, this replica,
Holule’a, the first voyaging canoe to be built in Hawai’i
made her maiden voyage to Tahiti, attempting to retrace this traditional
migratory route. Navigated without instruments by Micronesian navigator,
Mau Piailug, the canoe arrived 33 days later in Papeete, Tahiti, to
a crowd of more than 17,000—over half of the island had turned
out to greet the canoe. What had begun as a scientific experiment
to prove a theory about the settlement of Polynesia had touched a
deep root of cultural pride in Polynesian people.
“After the
voyage, Mau returned to Micronesia, and with him went the knowledge
of the traditional art of wayfinding. But Mau had ignited a strong
interest in many members of the Voyaging Society to continue sailing
and learning about navigation. In 1980, a crew from Hawai’i
successfully sailed Hokule’a to Tahiti and back to
Hawai’i, but this time the canoe was guided by one of Mau’s
students, Naiona Thompson, the first Hawaiian to navigate a voyaging
canoe in more than 600 years.”
Peter didn’t
live to attend the Hawaii conference, but he was there in spirit.
He first discovered the fine folks of NMEA at the midyear board meeting
during the NSTA conference in St. Louis in 1996. Watching him recognize
the huge contributions members were making at all levels of marine
education warmed my heart. It renewed my own deep respect for an organization
I had served for 13 years in various roles as journal and newsletter
editor, and as president. Like those valiant souls who navigate unknown
waters relying on age-old knowledge of the natural world, marine educators
brave the often uncharted or reef-laden waters of our educational
system to bring ocean literacy to all.
While Peter is
no longer with us, his legacy live on, and in his memory, we’re
putting together an issue of Current focusing on traditional
ways of knowing our ocean planet. He would love this weaving together
of western and traditional knowledge and this venue for reaching those
who reach many others. Peter helped sponsor the polar seas issue of
Current a few years ago, which was distributed by the National
Science Foundation at conferences and events far and wide. The passion
of one man for science and the oceans lives on in that issue, and
it is a catalyst for our planned “Traditional Knowledge”
issue.
Barry Lozez wrote
about Peter’s passion for science and knowledge in “Offshore:
Journey to the Weddell Sea” in Orion 1994, after accompanying
him on the maiden voyage of the icebreaker Nathaniel B. Palmer:
“Peter believes
science…is poised to put information together in a striking
new fashion. People are going to understand their physical environment,
and how much a part of it they are, in ways that until now science
has never spoken of.
“Standing
there in the frigid air, it is hard not to like Peter. He is passionate,
practical, disciplined and of course, someone with a vision.”
We already have
a number of exciting articles 'lined up," but if you are interested
in contributing to this special issue of Current, please
write to me at: nora@alaska.nett
or contact co-editor Bill Hastie at
hastieb@wvi.com
The revival
of Gamming in NMEA publications marks an absence of more than sixteen
years. NMEA’s President’s Circle, made up of former presidents
and leaders, contribute to this feature. Gamming is meant to 1) inspire,
create, and pass on wisdom; 2) give recognition to unsung stars; 3)
pass on stories, ideas, and dreams: 4) give meaning to our work as
marine and aquatic educators; 5) learn from seasoned and experienced
marine and aquatic educators. Comments may be directed to President’s
Circle Coordinator Bill Hastie at:
hastieb@wvi.com
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