Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 6, 1 June 1995 — Nā ʻOhana Holo Moana -- voyaging [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Nā ʻOhana Holo Moana -- voyaging

by Deborah L. Ward Under blue skies and with a friendly tradewind, voyaging canoes from Hawai'i, Aotearoa, and the Cook Islands entered Ke'ehi Lagoon O'ahu May 13 to the cheers, chants and songs of thousands. For the double-hulled voyaging canoes Hawai'iloa, Hōkūle'a and Makali'i, it represented a triumphanī homecoming after a three-month, 6,000 mile voyage to Tahiti, the Marquesas Islands and back, accompanied by canoes from the Cook Islands and New Zealand. It was the fifth voyage for the Hōkūle'a and the inaugural voyage for both the Hawai'iloa and the Makali'i. The canoes actually arrived in Hawai'i the previous week, in time for a private welcoming ceremony by family members at Kualoa Regional Park. There, the 'ohana of Hakipu'u, home of the ancient navigator Kaha'i, greeted the crews with chants about the creation of these

islands, and naming the winds of O'ahu to bring them fair sailing. Eaeh eanoe brought a pōhaku from their island to plaee on a special ahu dedicated to navigation located in Kualoa Regional Park. A lavish pā'ina followed. Speaking at the public homecoming at Ke'ehi Lagoon, Randie Fong, master of ceremonies, noted that, "As we recognize the successful efforts of the crew members, organizers, families, volunteers ... we also recognize the canoes of the past, those who made it here, and those who tried, but did not succeed ... As we recognize those victorious landfalls, we connect with what all of this means, ... life and culture flourishing today." Indeed, the voyages of the Hōkūle'a have inspired a eanoe renaissance. Now there is a family of voyaging and coastal canoes in Hawai'i — the Hawai'iloa, the Mo'olele of Lahaina, Maui; the E 'Ala of the Wai'anae coast, O'ahu; and the Makali'i and

Mauloa of Hawai'i. All were represented at the Ke'ehi festivities. Other Pacific Island nations - Aotearoa (New Zealand), the Cook Islands, and French Polynesia - have also been inspired to build and sail their own voyaging canoes. A significant highlight of the journey was the gathering, for the first time in 600 years, of Polynesian canoes at the marae (temple) of Taputapuatea, at Opoa, Ra'iatea. Their participation in the reopening and rededication of the marae symbolized solidarity among the peoples of the great oeean. It was also the first time in many centuries that Hawaiian canoes sailed to and from the Marquesas Islands, from whieh early Hawaiian settlers may have eome. For the near future, the Hawai'iloa and the Hōkūle'a will be visiting the west coast of the U.S. mainland this summer. Shipped by Matson to Seattle, the Hawai'iloa will sail to Vancouver, British Columbia and

Alaska, to thank the Haida and Tlingit tribes who donated the tree trunks that became its hulls. Following a Seattle weleome, the Hōkūle'a will sail south to Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, where it is expected to draw a million visitors in cultural events sponsored by loeal Hawaiian communities. Future projects for eaeh of the Hawai'i canoes will revolve

around education for the community and students. The Hawai'iloa voyaging eanoe is a project of the Bishop Museum Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program, in cooperation with the Polynesian Voyaging Society. NHCAP is funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service. Hōkūle'a is a project of the Hawai'i Maritime Center in cooperation with the Polynesian Voyaging Society. The Makali'i was

built by Nā Kālai Wa'a Moku O Hawai'i and funded by the Big Island community and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The 1995 voyage was sponsored by the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the Bishop Museum Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program. Corporate support was provided by Outrigger Hotels Hawai'i and American Hawai'i Cruises.

E 'a'a 'ia makou e ho'okele hou. 'A'ohe halawai m "We are challenged to sail onee again. No horizon

Some books about canoes

The following books and videos are available through loeal bookstores or from the publishers. Mail orders may also be made through Native Books, (808) 874-8949. An Oeean in Mind , by Will Kyselka, examines the navigator's art. Includes dialogues with navigators Mau Piailug and Nainoa Thompson. UH Press, $14.95. Arts anā Crafts of Hawai'i, by Te Rangi Hiroa (Peter Buck) provides information on eanoe varieties, religious ceremonies, eanoe construction and related information. Bishop Museum Press, $7.95. Canoes of Oeeania, by A.C. Haddon and James Homell, an

exhaustive study on canoes of the Pacific, large and small. Bishop Museum Press, $45. Hawai'iloa, by 'Aha Pūnana Leo. This story for young ehildren, in the Hawaiian language, tells of the chief Hawai'iloa, who discovered the Hawaiian islands. 'Aha Pūnana Leo, $6.95. In the Wake of our Ancestors, a 30-minute video on the building of the Hawai'iloa voyaging eanoe. Chevron/Gail Evanari (VHS), $29.95. Polynesian Canoes and Navigation, by Judi Thompson and Alan Taylor, describes canoes and navigation techniques eommon throughout Polynesia. Institute for Polynesian Studies. $4.95.

Hawaiian Canoe-Building Traditions, by Naomi N.Y. Chun, illustrations depict eanoe building, various types of canoes. Includes notes on the voyages of the Hōkūle'a, and the construction of the Hawai'iloa and the Mauloa. Good for children and adults. Kamehameha Schools Press $9.95. Voyage from the Past, by Julie Stewart Williams. Tells the story of Polynesian eanoe voyaging from the navigational methods of the early Polynesian explorers and the discovery of Hawai'i through to the 1976, 1980 and 1985-87 voyages of Hōkūle'a. Kamehameha Schools Press $7.95.

Coming ashore: The crew of the Te 'Au O Tonga disembarks. Photo by George Vincent

Maori crew members of the Te 'Aurere perform a traditional haka. Photo by Deborah Ward.

Hōkūle'a crew members join in a greeting ehan