While rooted in the shared tradition and purpose of Polynesian voyaging, crew members say Iosepa’s gospel-driven mission and academic foundation set him apart from other canoes
While many voyaging canoes feature sharp hulls that slice through ocean waves, the wa‘a kaulua Iosepa rides the sea’s vicious surges with his round hulls. In Jerusha Magalei’s words, “he flows,” and etched on his frame are stories not only of ancestral heritage but of gospel-centered individuals who make his odysseys across the Hawaiian seas possible today. “Iosepa is different because we’re part of the university, and we focus on the gospel. We educate students in both secular and spiritual ways,” Magalei explained.
Magalei, an assistant professor in BYU–Hawaii’s Faculty of Education & Social Work, is a daughter of William “Uncle Bill” Wallace III, the person who founded the university’s Hawaiian studies program and spearheaded Iosepa’s creation. This relation, she said, made her attachment to the double-hulled voyaging canoe natural. “My role is to help maintain the stories and history of Iosepa—how it began, how he got his name and the records of his sails,” she said.
Essential to this role, she shared, is recognizing Iosepa’s place in the larger network of Polynesian voyaging. Iosepa, according to her, descended from the spirit of other canoes—namely Hōkūleʻa, the mother of canoes, and her daughter, Mākali‘i—and is therefore guided by the same values embraced by his predecessors. “The values are the same because they all come from the same knowledge. Iosepa was trained by Mākali‘i, who was trained by Hōkūleʻa. There’s a genealogical tie,” Magalei explained.
Hōkūleʻa’s website states, “Embedded in the story of Hōkūleʻa and the culture that created her is the story of a 2000-year-old relationship with special islands and the sea.” Similarly, Magalei said Iosepa plays a special part in the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s ongoing quest to restore this ancient story that was almost lost—a legacy described by the website as “a story of survival, rediscovery and the restoration of pride and dignity.”
Driven by the gospel and ancestral wisdom
Kahiamaikalani Walker, an applied mathematics and Hawaiian studies senior born and raised in Laie and Hau‘ula, voiced a thought shared by every other crew member—Iosepa can be easily distinguished from other canoes because he carries the gospel of Jesus Christ. “It is not a requirement to be a member of the church to be onboard Iosepa. But to be on Iosepa, you do need to recognize that he is a vessel of the Church of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Iosepa’s gospel-centered nature, Walker shared, fills their voyages with spirit and emotion. “There’s so much love and peace felt,” he expressed. Although he acknowledged that other canoes can evoke the same emotions, he emphasized Iosepa’s power to name and define these profound sensations. “With Iosepa, we can easily recognize that it’s the love of God—the Savior’s power. I would say that’s the biggest difference,” he explained.
Walker noted not only Iosepa’s religious affiliation, but also the vessel’s connection to BYU–Hawaii. “To my knowledge, Iosepa is the only voyaging canoe owned by a university. There’s no other place like it,” he shared. These associations, according to him, give Iosepa unparalleled guidance and strength. “Many people assume religion pushes us away from our ancestors. In reality, especially as we pursue these voyages, we are brought even closer to them.”
Magalei expressed similar insights on Iosepa’s intrinsic ties to the gospel. Citing “The Birthing of Iosepa,” a documentary film by Director Daniel Skaf about the double-hulled voyaging canoe’s creation, Magalei outlined four core principles that guided the vessel’s conception. “Turn your hearts to your ancestors; have faith in yourself, those around you and in the Lord; find a sense of self and positionality; and spread the light of Christ through service,” she listed, reiterating William Wallace III’s words in the film.
Magalei said the first principle is rooted in indigenous cultures across the Pacific. Turning to the past and seeking ancestral wisdom, according to her, is deeply ingrained in their communities. “If you want to be successful in life, turning to them and seeking their knowledge will help you,” she explained.
The second one, she said, is vital to the success of any voyage. “When you’re on top of Iosepa, everything you do requires not just thinking about your ancestors but having faith that you have the capacity and ability to do great things,” she stated. Braving the vast ocean, she stressed, calls for faith in themselves, in their ancestors and, above all, in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Magalei said the third principle urges voyagers to answer questions that delve into their identities: “Who are you? Where do you stand? What is your role on the wa‘a, in class, in your family or in the world?” Iosepa, she said, may be Hawaiian in concept and design, but its spirit resonates with people from all walks of life. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Hawaiian—our last sail had students from all over the world. I loved that,” she expressed.
The fourth one, according to Magalei, is tied to Iosepa’s mission. “In the dedicatory prayer, Elder M. Russell Ballard said Iosepa is a missionary. He has a spirit of his own. When people see him, or when the crew comes into a community, they bring a different light. They serve and educate.” This mission, she said, is reflected in this year’s voyage when the crew visited and uplifted communities through providing basic needs and offering cultural entertainment.
Different hulls, one highway
The islands and the seemingly infinite sea, according to Walker, have shared a special relationship since times immemorial—the waters served not as partitions between lands but as a freeway for bold spirits. “There was one point in history when the ocean was a highway. People were sailing back and forth thousands of years ago,” he shared. Today, he said, voyaging canoes may differ in form, but they remain united in purpose—to connect people and revitalize the time-honored tradition of pilgrimages across the vast sea.
“At present, Iosepa stands as the only actively sailing all-wooden double-hulled voyaging canoe,” Walker said. This quality, he continued, sets Iosepa apart from other modern canoes that incorporate fiberglass and hybrid materials. “What’s more, his creation involved many cultures. The logs are from Fiji, the master carver is Tongan and it takes an entire community to support him,” Walker added. This spirit of community, he noted, is evident in the dedication of those who maintain, prepare and sail with Iosepa—about 30 people attend weekly workdays, and approximately 90 people took part in this year’s voyage, he said.
In addition, Walker emphasized the significance of Iosepa’s round hulls—a defining feature of Hawaiian canoes. “In Micronesian or Melanesian vessels, you’ll see sharp hulls that help them track through the water. But because Hawaii’s waters are rough and wave-heavy, we favor round hulls,” he shared. This design, he explained, allows the canoe to smoothly ride the ocean’s swells.
Voyaging has always been the act of connecting with each other. Connection is the ultimate goal.
But in terms of training crew members and the values they prioritize in each voyage, Walker and Magalei said all canoes are similar. “Voyaging has always been the act of connecting with each other. Connection is the ultimate goal,” Walker stated. Both at sea and in the bustle of preparation, they are building an intimate relationship with each other, with their ancestors, with the culture and with Iosepa himself. “When you sand the hulls, you’re connecting with the canoe. As you do the lashings, you come to know him more intimately. That relationship matters. It’s what makes you a good candidate to sail on Iosepa,” he explained.
“So Iosepa, overall, helps us look back—what it was like for our ancestors, using the same materials and methods to feel the ocean. We use our senses and faith,” Magalei shared. She said the renaissance of Polynesian wayfinding, pioneered by master navigators like Mau Piailug and Nainoa Thompson, is something the entire voyaging society continues to carry forward.
In the pursuit of reviving an art that had been slipping away, Walker said, the Polynesian Voyaging Society was founded in 1973. “At the time, many involved in voyaging felt a deep sense of disconnection—from their ancestors, from the ocean and from the practices that once defined their identity,” he shared. The first successful voyage, he noted, marked a turning point. He said it became clear that voyaging couldn’t be a one-time event where they sail once and then have the canoe sheltered as a museum artifact. “We recognized how disconnected we were, and we knew we needed this practice back in our lives. That’s why Iosepa should be sailing as often as he can,” he expressed.