Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 9, 1 September 1985 — Piianaia Clan Sets Sail on Hokule'a [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Piianaia Clan Sets Sail on Hokule'a

Three generations of the Piianaia family of Honolulu are among the 12 new crew members aboard the Polynesian eanoe Hokule'a when it was scheduled to begin the second leg of its 27-month "voyage of rediscovery" around Sept. 2 to the Cook Islands from Raiatea, one of the Tahitian islands. The 60-foot double-hulled replica of an ancient voyaging eanoe and her first 12-member crew successfully reached T ahiti Aug. 1 1 , completing the first leg of the challenging and ambitious "voyage." The Piianaia family is comprised of 70-year-old Abraham, director of Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii, Manoa; his son, Gordon, 45, director of Hawaiian Studies Institute, Extension Education Division, The Kamehameha Schools; and 16-year-old Chad, a Kailua High School student and Gordon's son. Like his grandfather, Chad will be a crewman while his father will be the canoe's captain on its trip from Raiatea to the Cook Islands. The last of the new crew members left for Papeete Aug 27 where they joined Mau Piailug of Satawal in the CaroIine Islands and Oahu's Nainoa Thompson, the canoe's navigator and son of Myron B. Thompson, president of teh sponsoring Polynesian Voyaging Society and a Bishop Estate trustee. In addition to the Piianaia elan, other new crew members for the second leg are Big lsland carpenter Leon Paoa Sterling, first mate, the same role he had in the 1980 voyage. He also participated in the 1976 and 1978 voyages of the

Hokule'a. Chad Baybayan, crew member in 1980 who will be responsible this time for documenting Nainoa. He works for the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Maui. Abraham Ah Hee Jr., watch captain who participated in the last three voyages. He is a Maui construction worker. Patrick Aiu, physician from Kauai who was in the 1980 voyage. He will serve as the crew's doctor. Victor Lipman, crew member. He is a writer for Honolulu Magazine and will be writing an article on this leg, his first long distance voyage on the Hokule'a. Mel Paoa Jr., Paramedic from Molokai making his first voyage. Peter Sepelalur, crew member from the island of Satawal who participated as a crew member on the escort vessel Dorcas from Hawaii to Tahiti. John Kruse, crew member. He participated in the 1976, 1978 and 1980 voyages. He is from Kauai and works as a facilities inspector for Dynalectron. Miehael A. Tongg, crew member, also a participant in the last three voyages. A resident of Niu Valley, Tongg is also an attorney and professional photographer. A Cook Islander crew member was expected to join the Hokule'a on her journey to the Cook lslands. The sail to the Cook lslands is the first time the Hokule'a is venturing westward in the southern hemisphere and the first step that will take it to New Zealand.

Japan youngsters trying their skills at moa pahe'e

I ' ' ( Two girls give their all in uma or hand wrestling.

elebrities get competition off to a flying start at moa pahe'e or sliding dart game. From left to right are arksand Recreation DirectorTom Nekota. L.t. Gov. ,lohn D. Waihee and .lohn Kekuna

'O'o ihe (spear throwing) contestants.

W II'MI Governor George R. Ariyoshi raps with some of the youngsters who participated in the games.

Two competitors in pa uma or standing hand wrestling.

Pulling together in huki huki or tug of war.