Wayfinding Week at Mana Academy

Mana Academy was honored to host wayfinders from Hawai'i, who were here for Wayfinding Week.

Our Mana scholas were extremely fortunate to host two wayfinders from Hawai'i, Tuloutele Celeste Manuia Ha’o and Steven Tausinga, here in Utah as the special guests of SAILI Wayfinding Week.

Tuloutele Celeste Manuia Ha’o is a pioneering Hawaiian-Sāmoan wayfinder, educator, and the first Sāmoan woman apprentice navigator of the famous Hōkūleʻa voyaging canoe. At the young age of 17, she was given the Taupou title Tuloutele, from the village of Faleapuna, Sāmoa, by her grandfather, High Chief Tialavea Morris.

Steven Tausinga, who grew up here in Salt Lake City, currently calls Hau'ula, Hawaii, home. Steven first sailed on a waʻa kaulua (double hulled canoe) in March of 2024, aboard the Iosepa. Since then, he has completed the Moananuiākea Voyage – Leg 11 on the Hikianalia, from Mauliola to Hilo, and Leg 14 on the Hōkūleʻa, from Tahiti to Rarotonga.

During their week here in Utah, our Mana scholars attended a wayfinding presentation at the Hansen Planetarium. Later that week, we were able to host them on site. Tuloutele and Steven were able to work with our fifth grade class to teach them how to wayfind by observing the stars, the position of the sun, and other signs of nature such as wind patterns, cloud formations and ocean swells, to provide direction for navigators at sea. This is how the Pacific was settled by ancient navigators from Taiwan.

We are grateful for the SAILI organization and the Wayfinding Week organizers for extending this special opportunity for our scholars to learn directly from Tuloutele and Steven.

Photo Album: Wayfinding with 5th Grade

Photo Album: Cultural Performance for the Wayfinders