Main fundraiser photo

Voyaging in the Salish Sea

2019-2020 Funding Needs:

1. Purchase of an OC3 Holopuni Sailing Canoe for seasonal limited eco-tour operations to help sustain our program financially and long term

Purchase of a Gary Dierking Designs 27' custom red cedar ULUA

Total Cost: $35,000



27' ULUA by Gary Dierking Designs


We have been given a rare and unique opportunity to purchase a high performance and unique fully-rigged Polynesian sailing canoe that was used in last years famous RACE TO ALASKA (R2AK) that receives International attention & exposure. This canoe will be used year round in educational programs and in summer season as an exclusive and one of a kind unique opportunity for tourists to explore the waterways and wildlife of the San Juan’s in traditional ways while learning about Polynesian canoe culture. Holopuni sailing canoes have an an international following across New Zealand, West Coast USA, Hawaii, Tahiti , and even Lake Tahoe. Her presence in the San Juan’s would make her the only sailing canoe of its kind in the San Juan Archipelago let alone the entire Pugent Sound and Pacific Northwest. (that we are aware of) This would also help fuel our vision to perpetuate and revive canoe culture of the shared waterways of the San Juan Archipelago while also honoring the deep roots between Hawai’i and the Pacific Northwest.

Given the hot spot of the San Juan Islands being ground zero for the issues pertaining to the plight of our Southern Resident Killer Whales, we seek to educate tourists in a more mindful and traditional way on the water flowing with the natural rhythms of the waterways and our encounters without the use of engines and/or GPS used to track whales specifically for purpose of “whale watching”. We believe this a step in the right direction for the industry and while not impacting the Whales with vessels using fossil fuels.

Allowing marine life to approach traditional vessels on their own terms!

“Holomoana” ... was the Personal canoe of legend, Holopuni founder/designer & friend Nick Beck from Kau’ai, HI and most recently used by well known International Expedition Adventurers Chris & Marty Fagan in the famous R2AK (Race to Alaska) sail/human power expedition race. Chris & Marty purchased the canoe from Nick Beck to use in the famed R2AK and are keen on passing her on to a program such as ours that will honor the spirit of the canoe and give her a good home and to continue the work.

More about the Fagans here:

https://chrisfagan.net/about/

More about Holomoana in the Race to Alaska:

https://r2ak.com/2019-teams-full-race/team- holopuni/

R2AK "Holomoana", Holopuni Designs by Nick Beck


2. The continued project to traditionally rig our beloved Kaigani for Polynesian style canoe sailing, serve as our programs primary vessel for local educational programs
COST: $14,000
(sails, trampolines, rigging, mast, safety equipment, etc)
Our current need and priority is getting Kaigani rigged for Polynesian-style canoe sailing.
We anticipate making this a community-based project with a call out to elders, craftspeople, artists, woodworkers, maritime folks, etc along side our youth crafting all of the sail components/rigging for our beloved Kaigani.

Having Kaigani rigged for sailing will take her to the next dynamic and unique level to accomplish our dreams for voyaging longer distances and reaching more youth and communities with our visions.



2019/2020 Current Projects/Partnerships

Salish Sea Sciences (salishseasciences.org) Summer canoe voyaging program serving HS and pre-college students coming from across US for immersion in scientific research with focus on bioacoustics, scientific diving, marine ecology, and micro-plastics. Students connect with our program canoes and we seek to enrich their experience through a holistic lens of the merging of traditional knowledge systems and western science.

PROJECT WAYFINDER, Stanford University & Polynesian Voyaging Society. (projectwayfinder.com, hokulea.com) In partnership with Stanford Universities famous Hasso Platner dSchool, we are one of founding pilot partners to deliver the PROJECT WAYFINDER tool kit to engage local Middle/High School students; integrating the dynamic experiential toolkit and practical application on our voyaging canoe, Kaigani.

Vaka Taumako Project, Solomon Islands (vaka.org) We seek to use proceeds from our developing eco-tour operation to support the efforts of friend Dr. Mimi George with the Vaka Taumako Project and Pacific Traditions Society, to create opportunities of cultural exchange between the youth & community of the San Juan Islands and master navigators/Elders from Taumako. We are in process of planning a second Film screening of Mimi’s documentary in 2020/2021 , “We the Voyagers, Lata’s Children” coupled with a community experiential day on our canoes and weaving a traditional sail with Elders from Taumako along with our community youth and local coast salish youth & tribal canoe families.

Friday Harbor High School STEM Program- Maritime Skills/Shipwright Program. We seek to continue our early work with friend/mentor and Elder Dean Washington, Master canoe builder from the Lummi Nation. To date our program stewards 2 of 4 coast salish style cedar strip canoes we built with Dean. We seek to continue the second phase and link up 2 traveling canoes as a double-hulled sailing canoe with inspirations taken from Coast Salish & Polynesian canoe traditions & design.



Spring/Summer 2018 Program Highlights

-May canoe voyage, Spring Street International School
-PROJECT WAYFINDER  youth voyaging pilot
-Salish Sea Sciences canoe program
-community paddles

SSIS students May voyage & exchange with Salt Spring Island WOLF school program


Kaigani 'Ohana 20 mile voyage to bring her home to new basecamp

SSIS youth prep Kaigani for May voyage


Youth from all over come together in the canoe with the Salish Sea Sciences program

Kaigani crew voyaging

SSIS May canoe voyage



2017 Program Highlights:


In summer 2017 Kaigani was rigged for traditional Polynesian outrigger paddling and took to our precious waters of San Juan island on her maiden voyages.

We had small programs with youth from Island Rec, paddles with students from the Salish Seas Science Camp(Spring Street International School) along with a small group of dedicated adult paddlers joining Kaigani for her 1st season!




Adult community recreational paddling, IMUA!

Island Rec Canoe Survival Camp


Kaigani and the Lummi cedar strip canoe Xwachxeng paddled together for Island Recs summer Canoe Survival program.

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E Aloha Mai Friends & 'Ohana near and oceans away, 

Synergies are converging and amazing stories have been blending and unraveling the past year on my project.

The Year 2016 brings a deep and profound momentum in Ocean Voyaging globally and the perpetuation of traditional and indigenous ocean wayfinding and navigational systems. Voyaging is happening to bring awareness to the need for our Island Earth to come together as one people; to share one another’s stories of hope and progress to sail towards a more sustainable world for our children. Ocean Voyaging on traditional vessels of all peoples is an all encompassing spiritual and cultural conduit to ensure that our future generations are mentored in perpetuating a deep connection to Mother Earth and the inherent wisdoms she teaches us.

We (the community and youth of the San Juan Islands) have been blessed with our FIRST Hawai'ian Wa'a, named KAIGANI ( a year or two ahead of schedule by fate) and a partnership with the Pacific Northwest Voyaging Society and our connected 'Ohana Wa'a spread across Pacific Northwest, Canadian Islands, and the Main Hawai'ian Islands.

The Kaigani Voyaging Canoe,  which will eventually be rigged for traditional Hawai'ian style canoe sailing will arrive to San Juan Island in March 2017.


In September 2016 we incorporated Kaigani Canoe Voyaging Society ( KCVS) as a 501c3 Federal non-profit organization and donations are deductible to the full extent of the law.

The Mission for the Kaigani Canoe Voyaging Society  is perpetuation of canoe culture through ocean voyaging, traditional knowledge systems, community building, maritime skills training, and stewardship.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE AND GET A FREE SHIRT WITH A $50 DONATION

NEW 2018 KAIGANI CANOE FAMILY PADDLE JERSEYS!! ORDER NOW! 

$45 Nickel or Mango (water visibility)

KAIGANI Tshirts (New Design coming soon!)




Birth of Kaigani:


http://kaigani.org/kaigani-history/

Vision:

Our vision for Kaigani is to connect with the natural elements of the Salish Sea while discovering the richness of canoe culture, ocean travel and awareness, through voyaging, discovery and experiential education. We enter this mission with humility and reverence of our natural world, Polynesian and Coast Salish knowledge and seek to better our understanding of past, present and future. To stand in solidarity with those that protect the sacred and honor our natural resources. Discovering the richness of wildlife, the water, the land, the trees, the elk, the eagles, the salmon, the orca, the communities, the people of today and the people who have come before.

Through voyaging we understand the importance of teamwork, community, and that each one of us is a leader and a contributor, providing assets and resources that help us all reach the next step. We discover what it means to live in the moment and disconnect from the stresses of modern life, as we stretch out beyond our comfort zone, to a place where land and ocean meet and possibilities arise.

A voyaging canoe is a maritime parallel to an Island village system. The success of our canoe depends on all roles and responsibilities of our Island village. Our crew consisting of fishermen, farmers, spiritual leaders, craftsmen, teachers, healers, Leadership, and the people with all their unique skill sets. The canoe presents a modern platform for individuals to practice their cultural lifestyle in a synergetic way. Each individual is celebrated for what they can contribute to the whole.

What we do to survive on the land, is what we do to survive on the canoe. How we conserve, act, or educate our people about our precious Island resources is a direct reflection of how we will navigate forward together on a canoe and survive, explore, and flourish at sea...


CURRENT/Potential PROJECTS of KAIGANI


*Stanford University pilot program, PROJECT WAYFINDER, Summer 2018

* May 2018 Spring Street International School canoe voyaging program

*Community Voyaging Programs around San Juan Islands

*Voyaging with Youth Conservation Corps programs from around Pacific Northwest (EarthCorps, NWYC, SCA, etc) and eventually exchanges with Hawai'i youth programs.

*Scientific research with focus on voyaging, traditional knowledge systems, and canoe culture in partnership with Universities and community colleges

*Wounded Warriors Project

*Salish Seas Science Camp, 3rd season (2019)

*Race to Alaska, Summer 2020

*Annual Tribal Canoe Journey & Collaborations with Coast Salish Canoe Families

*Youth voyaging exchanges, leadership, stewardship between youth/tribes of Pacific Northwest and Hawai'i 

*Year-round youth maritime vocational skills training program

*Sailing Canoe Club

*Salish Sea Awareness Projects - Salmon Recovery,
Paddle In Seattle, Arctic Oil Drilling, Coal Trains, Invasive Species Eradication, Orca Projection and Activism, Water Quality Research, Cascadia Now.





Traditionally-rigged Hawai'ian Sailing Canoe (Kaigani rigging model)


Past Projects


Dean Washington, master carver Lummi Nation & Matt- blessing of 1st Canoe "Smeye" built Summer 2016
Westcott Bay, San Juan Island

        "Xwalelq" being constructed summer 2016

Dean Washington Lummi and SJI Youth from Conservation Corps

Members of SJI Canoe Family paddling new 6 person Lummi travel canoe "Xwalelq"



2 new canoes are completed and currently have a home at Spring Street International School!

 Xwachxeng being birthed on canoe form

                                              "Xwachxeng"



YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL ENSURE OUR YOUTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PASSED THE TORCH TO SUSTAIN FUTURE GENERATIONS- TO KEEP ALIVE THE SPIRIT OF THE VOYAGING CANOES AND THEIR CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE TO ALL PEOPLES OF THE SALISH SEA AND ALL SHORES THAT EXTEND BEYOND OURS WHERE PEOPLES WAYS OF LIFE ARE CONNECTED TO LAND & SEA.

IF YOU ARE A PADDLER, AN OCEAN LOVER, HEAR THE CRIES OF THE OCEANS AND THE FORESTS, OR ARE AN ADVOCATE OF TRADITIONAL WISDOM, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS JOURNEY- HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE WA'A IN THE NEAR FUTURE!

Mahalo nui loa for considering supporting this project and our voyage.

For our keiki(children) our future...


Me ke aloha la,

Matthew Wickey
Kaigani Canoe Voyaging Society
Executive Director/Skipper
www.kaigani.org
 
Matthew has worked as an outdoor educator and conservation biologist for the past 20 years in a multitude of programs and projects centered around conservation biology, adventure & environmental education, advocacy of traditional indigenous knowledge systems and community building. He has taught in Hawai’ian immersion schools, ocean-based experiential therapy programs, has worked as International expedition guide, directed University outdoor programs, and has extensive professional experience as a field biologist in the Main Hawai’ian Islands. Matt has an academic background in Outdoor Education/Environmental Science. Matt is dedicated to community building and bringing youth, families, and individuals to a greater awareness of the natural world and the connections that exist and that need to be healed to sustain our future as a global community. Matt finds his passions and is accomplished in ocean sports, surfing, sailing, snowboarding, mountaineering, backcountry medicine, and has interests and background in organic farming, natural/herbal medicine, Tai Chi/Qi Gong, and primitive living skills.

Matt is an active Fire Fighter/EMT with SJI EMS & SJI Fire & Rescue

Matthews vision is binded by the glue of his Wife, Melissa; and her wisdom, passion, and knowledge of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture that compliments the experiential and healing nature  of Wayfinding and Ocean Voyaging.

www.wayfinderwellness.com 

Matt & Melissa are both part of the International mentor network for The Tracking Project, out of Corrales, New Mexico. We are blessed to be a part of this amazing family and to assist in passing on the wisdom and teachings passed down by friend and teacher, Uncle John Stokes.

A lot of inspiration and curriculum for the Canoe programs comes from these important teachings for our youth.

Read more here:
www.thetrackingproject.org

Organizer

Matt Wickey
Organizer
Friday Harbor, WA

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