Two thousand people in the theatre and you could hear a pin drop when Elizabeth Lindsey floated onto the stage. When she spoke, the stillness deepened. I was so moved by her presence and message, I reached during my interview with her and held her hand. It was as natural as could be. When I think of her now as I write this, I take a deep breath and know we’re not alone. The ancestors are with us.

Elizabeth Kapu’uwailani Lindsey, Ph.D., is the first female National Geographic Fellow. An award-winning filmmaker and anthropologist, she is also the first Polynesian explorer for the National Geographic Society. Lindsey’s commitment to the conservation of vanishing indigenous knowledge and tradition not only provides a cultural record for present and future generations, but also serves as the foundation for a global, digital repository, an initiative which she spearheads at the National Geographic Society.