Elongated cent marks maiden voyage

This article was originally printed in the latest issue of Numismatic News.
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Michael Mochizuki has made available an elongated cent to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the inaugural voyage of the Hokule’a. The boat is a performance-accurate, full-scale replica of a wa’a kaulua, a Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe.

Launched by the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hokule’a made its maiden voyage in 1976 from Hawaii to Tahiti using only Polynesian navigation techniques without modern instruments. It departed Honolua Bay, Maui, on May 1, 1976, as part of the United States Bicentennial celebration.

One of the goals of the voyage was to further support for the anthropological theory of Asiatic origin of the Polynesian peoples, and Hawaiians in particular, as opposed to origins in the Americas, according to Mochizuki.

Since the 1976 trip, Hokule’a has completed nine more voyages to destinations in Micronesia, Polynesia, Japan, Canada and the U.S., all using way-finding techniques of celestial navigation. The boat is moored at the Marine Education Training Center of Honolulu Community College.

Single elongated cents are available for $2. Five single elongateds cost $7.50. Shipping is postpaid to U.S. addresses. Payment is accepted in cash, check or money order.

For more information, or to place an order, write Michael Mochizuki, 98-1998 Hapaki Street, Aiea, HI 96701-1639, or send an e-mail to mmochizuki@hawaii.rr.com.