Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 7, 1 July 2017 — Why is the Hōkūleʻa Homecoming celebration important to you? [ARTICLE]

Why is the Hōkūleʻa Homecoming celebration important to you?

NATIVE HAWAIIAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS Tens of thousands of people flocked to Magic Island on June 17 to weleome Hōkūle'a back from its Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage. We asked some of them why it was important to be part of the celebration. - Treena Shapiro

This is a historic occasion. It's just ehieken skin to be able to be honored to weleome home the Hōkūle'a, and the crew, and all the people that made it possible. As a malihini to the island, l'm really grateful for the aloha that the Hawai'i community has given to me and this is my way of showing support and giving back.

We got up this morning, we knew we wanted to do this. We knew it was going to be part of history and it's not the same watching it at home on TV versus being here live in person. We wanted to just feel the presence, feel the mana and we wanted our kids to experience it because we know it will not happen again in our lifetime.

It was to honor what they did. It took them a few years to make their way around the world. Why not weleome them home? Pride, right?

I think this is huge for Oeeania. I thinkthis is incredible. It's very emotional, like watching the canoes. I've never seen so many canoes in one plaee, like this time. Growing up in the islands, l've seen the same kind of setup, but I think right now, in today's climate, it's the most appropriate thing for all Oceanians. We should celebrate.

I saw them when they eame to my island - 1 live in Hilo. I eame over becauselfelt like I just had to be here. There's something that brings me here, the mana, and I just had to eome.

READER'S RESPONSE

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Carol Green, Wai'anae

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Tanya Fao, Hale'iwa

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Christopher Wilson, Waialua

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Jojo Peter, Honolulu

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Tom Fuertes, Keaukaha