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instructor Ian Kekaimalu Isami Lee has sailed far and wide aboard the vessel Hōkūleʻa. Now, the and alumnus uses the experiences gained on open waters in his class on the basic principles and theories of modern non-instrument navigation, the same navigation used on the Hōkūleʻa.
“It brings a lot of context for my students because when we talk about things or when I try to explain things to them,” Lee said. “I tell them stories of things that I have personally experienced. That brings it to life for them, and it makes it easier for them to understand the concepts.”
After graduating from Leeward CC with an associate’s degree in liberal arts in 2011, Lee enrolled at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补. In 2014 Lee sailed from Samoa to Aotearoa and in 2017 from Tahiti to Hawaiʻi aboard Hōkūleʻa.
His master’s thesis revolved around voyaging and canoe culture. The journeys were instrumental in his growth as a person and navigator, allowing him to share experiences with his ancestors who crossed the sea thousands of years prior. Lee earned bachelor’s (2014) and master?s (2017) degrees in Hawaiian studies.
Community on campus
It was not always smooth sailing. After spending his first semester skipping classes, Lee says he found community at Leeward CC. This inspired him to engage more in his studies and take advantage of free tutoring and other support.
“I just found myself having a blast and learning along the way,” said Lee. “It was the community that I surrounded myself with. We had the program Hālau ʻIke O Puʻuloa, which is now known as Kīpuka, Native Hawaiian Student Services. There were so many people who created a very comfortable environment. That made me not want to leave.”
Lee remembers being greeted with a smile and treated with aloha on campus, which felt like a home away from home. Now, he tries to encourage his students to build community.
“My students do their course in groups, they do everything as a group,” Lee said. “I try to shift their thinking to a broader, global thinking that all of our actions are interconnected and affect each other. If we all thought that way, I think this world would be a much better place.”
