March 27 Today, we went to a Tereo Maori school which is basically a school taught in the native tongue. It was a fun experience and really eye opening. The name of the school was Waiorea. Upon arrival we were immediately greeted and had the proper protocol. It was incredible. First they chanted out to us, then we replied with a chant that Ashley had performed. It was neat that their school day basically stopped just so they could properly welcome us. The mele that they performed were second to none and their voices blended perfectly to provide a wonderful melodic harmonious masterpiece. It was a wonderful experience. After all that, we ate some lunch provided by them and also had some entertainment with more melodic talents from the student body. Then they wanted to see something cool from us. Luckily Ashley is a performer so she danced some hula for them. Unluckily, without her, we had to sing on our own so she could change costumes and it was a rough run at I mua Kamehameha. Nevertheless the experience of sharing our culture with them will never be forgotten. We later got the opportunity to visit one of their science classrooms. It was cool to see the interest some of them had were similar to ours and I even learned some Maori vocabulary from one of the students. I truly had a great time at the school and learned so much. The thing that stood out to me the most was their performances and the pride they had while performing. What a great day, we got to experience a native school and see the similarities to what we do back at home. They have a similar way of doing things in the sense that they try to incorporate as much of the Maori culture into their curriculum just like we try to use Hawaiian culture and values in our classrooms. It was interesting and fun to interact with the students there and to really relate to them and make connections on an intimate level. I will take away a sense of unity from this experience knowing that regardless of culture and any thing else that may make two people seem different, there is always something that will bring two people together. I feel that the challenge is to find a connection between ourselves and a person who may be completely different than us and to realize that we all share special bonds. Keenan
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Today we were very honored to visit a Maori college, which in America would be considered our high school. The schooling is very different here. Based off what I’ve learned so far, the grades go from 1 being kindergarten and 13 being senior year for us. They also call their grades years, as in “I’m year 10” meaning I’m in 9th grade for the Hawaii grade system. It’s really different but interesting to meet a lot of students that are like freshmen and sophomores. I’ve gotta say coming to this school has taught me a lot. Right as we were welcomed in, some of the students greeted us with a really intense performance of their Haka. Seeing that really hit me, and brought me almost to the point of tears. Just all the mana and confidence being put into their chants really made me rethink what I’m doing with my life. Again it stressed that 1. Its pretty sad how culturally retarded I am and 2. How uneducated I am about Hawaiian in general. Its really got me going to really try to learn my language, and take more initiative about learning my culture. Once entering their classroom and looking at all the students again reminded me of home and of all the mixed pot we’ve got going on. I’ve got to say our chants and performances were pretty bad compared to them, but at least we tried. When we actually followed some students into the classrooms I have to admit I tried being more open and talk to them, but lets just say my introverted self was having a little issue initiating conversation. When I did try however, I got to see what their learning environment is really like. The students are definitely not as fortunate as us, but I see there’s a lot of learning and figuring out stuff by themselves, which is interesting. -Kealohi S. Todayʻs adventures took us to Nga Puna o Waiorea, a Rumaki of about 200 tamariki who range from year 8 to 13. As we were entering and called to enter in the Powhiri, we moved slowly and we were overcome with the power and intensity of our hosts. As the matua spoke in their mini, and then their waiata, I knew that our turn was next. Having to speak on behalf of our manuhiri Malama Honua group was an honor and a privilege and I would hope that we would be able to represent our group well. I spoke of our school and wanted to speak of our mauna, our makani, our ua and our wai, to speak of our school and our arrival to meet Hokuleʻa and Hikianalia, how in 1985, Sir James Hinare named the kanaka maoli as Ngati Ruawahia, the sixth tribe of Tai Tokerau from the North region and how we were here as cousins and relatives and not manuhiri. Our waiata of the ʻoli, Ngati Ruawahia was strong as our group understood itʻs importance. I could not be prouder of this group as they stepped outside of their comfort zones and grew today. One of the highlights was the waiata that were shared with our group after the Hongi and our Hakari (kai) at lunch. It is always an impressive sight to see the power, intensity and confidence that the poʻe maori show in their performances. The group of 20 people sounded like 200 and were amazing. We also had the privilege to share with their year 9 performing arts class. We shared 2 hula kahiko and 1 hula auana. our group was amazing and I couldnʻt be more proud to be the head of this group as I know how far they have come and their performance was nice and was representative of our group, our Kamehameha Schools and our ʻaina. It is most definitely my honor to be a part of this group. Imua!
Today we hopped aboard Hikianalia and began working on her electrical systems. We went down into the hulls and opened up the control panels. It was hot and cramped down there and the little bunks were extremely tempting to our tired bodies, but it was actually kind of fun. Our work today was almost like puzzle working. First we had to map out the entire battery system, complete with the correct signs. We had to make sure our drawings were extremely accurate because apparently the rest of the physics students will be recreating Hiki's electrical system based on our diagrams. The diagram that Ash, Kama and I drew of the starboard side was pretty accurate. The boys were in charge of the port side. Once we got our diagram done, we had to measure the voltage of each of the three batteries in the series using a multimeter, which Mr. Kamalu explained how to use. Once we finished mapping and tracing wires, we took a break to get lunch. We had Subway and saw some meat pies but we're gonna try those another day. I walked past a sign at a bar-type restaurant that I found quite amusing. Then we had to trace all of the wires coming from the batteries and figure out how they got to the panels up above. It was hard work but it put our minds to great use. We had to do lots of teamwork, with Ash filming, Kama holding the flashlight while simultaneously taking notes, and then me blindly trying to trace wires with my fingers. Whoever thought this trip wouldn't be education was definitely mistaken! I learned a lot today about currents, charges, voltage, and batteries. After lunch we started working on the solar panels. We had to figure out which of the 16 panels were connected into pairs, which meant a lot of tracing more wires. We had to hang over the sides of the hulls underneath the panels, which protected us from the rain, but we unfortunately couldn't get to all the panels. We're gonna try to find the hanging harness seat to rig up next time so we can hang under the wa'a. Once we finished up working for the day, we went to an Asian food court. I got lamb satay from an Indonesian booth, and afterwards Mr. Blake treated us to Swiss ice cream. I tried creme brûlée, which was reallllllyyyyy good. Overall today was a great day for thinking and working. -Katie K. Sakys
Honestly I would have never imagined that Christopher Blake is as cultured as he is. In class he just seems like he's asking us questions about culture because he wants us to think about it. I never really would've thought that he asks us cultural questions because he actually cares about us. Knowing that he wants us to figure out who we are is very encouraging for me. I'm not saying that other people don't really care about that kind of stuff but usually teachers aren't like that. They don't do that kind of stuff.
I like that he and Mr. Kamalu kind of fought for this trip. It shows that they don't only want us to do science but they want to tell us figure out who we are. We visited a ta reo maori school today and Mr. Blake asked us if we wanted to be maori after going to that school. I mean it seems like it would be cool but going and seeing how centered they were culturally, made me want to be more Hawaiian which is really funny because usually we have maori people come to Hawaii and everyone is tripping out and wants to be like them. But being here in New Zealand and seeing them in their own element makes me want to be better in our own element, even in not our own element. I just want to be more Hawaiian. My stomach is still sore from all the laughing that I did with my #eatsleepwaa ‘ohana today. There were so many laughs and memories shared. The bond is really growing between each one of us as we continue to work together on this voyage. Today, we completed a lot of work on Hikianalia, all the stuff that we came here to do. We split into two groups. One group was in charge of writing the procedure for the devices for the experiments that we are going to leave on Hokule’a. By the end of the day we gave a rough draft to Lehua to see how she would handle it, and we found many holes in the procedure. But no worries because now we know what we must fix. I worked more with the physics group today and our focus was on the electrical system on Hikianalia. I had no idea what to do going into today, but Mr. Kamalu is a very good teacher. He explained everything to us. We accomplished a lot today. We documented the battery system where all of the electricity on the boat is stored. We also documented the solar panel system. Both tasks were difficult and took us almost the whole day, but we were successful. There is still a lot more work to be done. Before we started our work today we helped with the unloading of the delivered food for each wa’a. There was a lot of food to unload. It was raining a lot today so it was a good thing that I brought my sweat pants. Chris Chow fell asleep sitting straight up on the deck of Hikianalia, but unfortunately I missed the photo opportunity. Working with Ikaia, Katy, Ashley, and Chris was a lot of fun. All of us, the whole group of student, make a really good team. We all worked really hard today, but it was really fun at the same time. We are becoming a bigger part of this voyage. After sailing yesterday on the Hokule’a, we already dubbed ourselves a part of the crew. Now, we also will have experiments on the ship the entire time as well as be responsible for some understanding of the confusing electrical system and solar panels. Today was a great work day.
-Kama Kainoa Ah QuinThese past couple of days have been so awesome! I can’t believe all the things we’ve done. It doesn’t seem like it when you say it or think about it but remembering all the stuff that we did just gets me thinking about how special we are as a group to be here. I like to think about the idea of things happening for a reason and I definitely believe that we were all called to be here in New Zealand on this particular trip for a reason. I can’t say what that reason is but I feel in my gut that there is a bigger purpose here. Yesterday when we being welcomed by the schools in Manaiakalani I was just so overwhelmed with emotions that I couldn’t hold back a couple of my tears. Mr. Kamalu was next to me and seemed like he was just chillin so I felt a little off about tearing up, but it was just so amazing to see those 2,000 kids standing there chanting for us and them just knowing what to do. Then being able to make a personal connection to each and every one of them. I thought that was so amazing.
I just feel so special to be able to have been on the receiving side of a welcome. When I used to go to Kanu o ka Aina, I remember always looking up to those “adults” and guests that we would chant to and welcome them in and I would look at some people and think in my head, “I want to be like her when I get older”. Now finally it seems like that’s happening. I’ve never imagined what it would actually be like. I’ve dreamt of it a bit but I tried to never get my hopes up too high so that they don’t get shot down, but now they’ve actually come true. They’ve become reality and I find it so amazing that I’m speechless. I have all these things I want to say and try to explain how I feel but it’s like words can’t explain it. There’s just this feeling in me that is so overwhelming, but in a good way. The thought especially about yesterday and not only being on the wa’a but sailing it, still baffles me. It’s like I can still feel the waves rocking us from below. I can definitely see my raccoon tan on my face and my arms are kind of sore from trying to work the sweep, but the experience we had yesterday was so awesome! How many people can say they’ve sailed the Hokule’a, other than the actual crew members of course. We didn’t only sail the wa’a but we had Nainoa Thompson’s whole family on their with him and for most of the sail he was holding his daughter which meant we were doing most of the manual labour, which I actually don’t mind because it was such a once in a lifetime experience. I’d love to work as a crew member one day on Hokule’a or HIkianalia because that is something for the books. All the things you’d experience on there are things you couldn’t do anywhere else. I’m just so grateful to be here on this trip. To have the opportunity to sail on the wa’a, to be welcomed, to hangout with these awesome team members on the Malama Honua team, just everything. I’m so grateful. We’re almost kind of half way through our trip and I’ve had such an amazing time so far. I look forward to all the moments and memories we’re going to make on the rest of it. 26 March 2015 Today was fun and felt really productive. Today was a workday on Hikianalia and we got a lot done. We set up, tested, wrote procedures, refined our procedures, and did more tests for our various experiments that the crew will be doing for us on their worldwide voyage to collect data for their website. We got a lot done, but we still have some work to do. Although today wasn’t exactly as “exciting” as sailing on the Hokule’a, it still felt like a big day for me. Today was probably the first time I realized just how big of an impact we have on this voyage. At first I thought, “Why are we, just a few high school students, so special that we a part of this Malama Honua voyage? What are we really doing here?” But today it hit me that there is no one else doing what we are doing right now, collecting data from around the world for the PVS. It’s a pretty crazy feeling to be apart of something this big, but today I really felt like we are all apart of this voyage. P.S.
I still feel the rocking of the boat. Awesome. -Noeau Machado Today we mapped out the electrical power system on Hikianalia and it was honestly really fun (not to sound nerdy). We got to go down and draw the batteries and figure out how it worked like a puzzle. Then took a look at the solar panels and learned about how it worked and how it all connects to each other then mapped that out also. My inner geek came out today basically -Ashley Lee March 26, 2015 Today was another amazing day with the opportunity to step foot on the Hikianalia. This was special and felt special especially because we are not only there to admire the sheer beauty of the vessel but we have the chance to make a difference on it as well. The cool thing is that we are blending the ages of modern technology with a traditional waa kaulua and are meshing the two. I think it is cool that we get to incorporate instruments of today's geniuses with the tools of our ancestors' legends. The physics group is making a huge difference in actually working on the electrical components on board. As for the group that I am a part of, we have the opportunity of creating a process for the crew members to collect water quality data along with UVA, UVB, and radiation. It is awesome to think that the things that we are doing will actually make a positive difference on the voyage and in the scientific community. I am in awe at the fact that we have the ability to make a difference with our actions. The things we are doing are literally affecting the voyage and the things to come from it. It seems surreal that a group of high school students have the opportunity to affect something so big. I feel that symbolically, this is a new beginning for me specifically as a student. I am receiving blessings in disguise that will forever have a positive impact on my life and I couldn’t be happier.
Keenan Much of today was centered around figuring out/ testing the equipment on the Hikianalia to see if they would work and created procedures for the crewmembers to see if they were understandable for any of them to follow if it was their job to take data. Overall this was a challenge because much of this was hands-on learning that dealt with a lot of us just figuring out stuff on our own. So on our part we weren’t confidently sure how to work the equipment and teaching someone else to do it made it even more of a challenge. After attempting to teach someone on the crew how to work the instruments, it failed miserably. I never really realized how difficult it is to make instructions for someone else because you really have to think of all the possibilities. You really have to think in the shoes of the voyagers and think what may be a struggle in their perspective in order to allow things to work out. -Kealohi S. Today was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget. First we arrived at Point New England School, which is situated right on the shore of the bay/estuary. Situated in front of the rising sun was Hōkūleʻa. The picture opportunities were great with the sun lighting the waʻa from behind as she sat in the empty bay/estuary, and it was such a beautiful, peaceful moment. We walked down on to the beach where “Hōkūleʻa” was written on the sand as if to welcome the waʻa and crew. We also got to collect pretty shells (orange and purple ones!) that were different form the shells we get in Hawaiʻi. Once the Maori finished their welcome, we chanted Ngati Ruawahia back, and I think that is the most powerful oli I have ever chanted as thirty-some voices filled the bay, announcing Hōkūleʻa’s arrival to Point New England. Then we all stood in a line on the beach and all of the keiki, all two thousand plus of them, filed past us and gave us high-fives, handshakes, hugs, and even some honi. It was so fun to smile and say “aloha” and be greeted back by “kia ora!” I still am processing the fact that I probably high fived more hands in 30 minutes than I will ever high five again in my life! It was pretty awesome to see the bright smiles on the kids’ faces, and it was motivating to hear the kids say how inspiring, awesome, or nice we are! It’s definitely an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. When we went out onto a natural pier-like rock formation (which was super slippery because it was covered in clay and mud), we got to take really cute pictures. We had to be careful not to fall though. I almost fell, but Ikaia luckily caught me lol. Chris and his GoPro, however, werenʻt as lucky...It was also cool to watch how quickly the tide came into the bay. In a span of about an hour, the water easily rose five feet. Just as the tide was rising, Hikianalia sailed into the cove with educators and Hōkū’s crew on board. We walked in from the rock pier with them and stood on the beach in front of 2,000+ Maori mātua, teachers, and keiki from the conglomerate of schools called Manaiakalani. They chanted to us, and I felt chills run down my spine as they chanted and danced to us. I could feel my kūpuna by me as we connected with our Pacific island cousins. I think it was about halfway through the kidsʻ chant that I felt myself start to cry out of respect and awe for the power and magic of the moment. I was standing in front of more than two thousand people, some of whom did not look Maori at all, who were all proudly representing their families, people, and culture with triumph and pride. It defnitely a type of honor we need to instill in our Hawaiian people, especially considering how we often do “Hawaiian things” like oli, mele, pule, etc. only because we have to, not because we want to. I saw pride and confidence. That was the biggest difference I saw between Maori and Hawaiians as I stood on that beach. Once the ceremony was done, we walked up to the grass fields above the beach and ate lunch while mingling with the kids. They all had different colored polos depending on what school they were from, and even though there was only one Pūnana Leo-type school, a lot of the kids were speaking Maori to each other as casually as if they were speaking English. It was really inspiring to hear all the different kids connecting to each other via a common language. We ate some really good food, and I met a few friends. They were so nice and we talked about our different cultures. One of my friends, Kiarana (she’s in yellow), and I went around on rubbish duty. When we were done, Lupita (in red) and I watched the Captain’s star navigation lesson. We did this really cute dance to learn the houses of the star compass, recorded in the video. Just as we were about to go board Hōkūleʻa, two of the boys in the press team asked to interview us, so we all took turns answering the questions they had for us about Hōkūleʻa’s mission and the goals and impacts of the Mālama Honua voyage. Once we got to Hōkū, I got super excited. We met Nainoa Thompson and his family, two of Nainoa’s personal friends, and two of the trained crew members named Jenna and Lehua (who is Mr. Kamalu’s daughter). They gave us a safety lesson (including how to use the harness for the bathroom) and then it was up to us to help sail the waʻa. Ashley, Kainoa, Kealohi and Noʻeau were put on steering duty in the back while Chris, Keenan, Andrea, and Kama helped but up the back sail, and Ikaia and I put up the jib/headsail. We learned how to tie bowline knots, how to tie ropes off onto the mast, and how to rig the sails up and down. Once we were done with that, I sat on the nose of the canoe and listened to Nainoa talk about the future of Polynesian voyaging and Hawaiian navigation. When I asked him if he planned to continue voyaging, he turned to his young daughter (about three years old) and said that his children were his new voyage as he begins to pull back. It was truly inspiring to talk to him (while we were sighting for all of the ferries, sailboats and motorboats speeding in and out of Auckland Harbor) and I feel like I learned a lot from him. He’s a great and wise leader, and I can see where much of the modern success of Polynesian voyaging comes from. I was also impressed that Nainoa trusted Jenna & Lehua and US, near strangers, to be in charge of sailing the waʻa with his family on board. Once we docked, we helped take down the masts and remove the sails (the masts were super heavy) and then we went to dinner nearby the harbor. Today was just a mind-blowing experience, and I’m still trying to process it all. I mean, I got to high-five more than two thousand people, I got to try hungi food, I got to physically sail the Hōkūleʻa, and I made tons of memories. These are the experiences I was looking for on this trip, and my expectations were more than fulfilled! -Katie K. Sakys
Words can’t even start to explain the experiences that I went through today. I know this is a cliché, but in this case it is so true. We accompanied the crew as they landed on the bay near Pt. England School. As we walked off the rock and joined the crew on the shore, 2,000 Maori students greeted us. This was the most amazing experience I have ever been a part of, just seeing the kids all sitting on the hill. All of the students were there just to greet us, and the people from the voyage. As all of them joined together in chanting, I started to get chicken skin. There was so much mana in the sound and the words that were coming out of their mouths. I could feel the mana running through my body. As I looked at all of their faces, I could see the pride in each one of them. Water started to swell in my eyes. I began to tear. This was the most sincere moment in my life. The feelings that I experienced on that beach among all those children were phenomenal.
I fulfilled somebody’s dream today. I was able to sail on the infamous Hokule’a. I’m sure hundreds of people would be lucky if they could even touch it or see it. We were accompanied by three crewmembers on the sail. I never noticed until we actually started sailing, but three crew members to sail a boat is likely impossible. From the start this was the plan and Nainoa trusted us to help with whatever was needed to do on the sail especially to protect all of the people on the wa’a. One of the crewmembers; Nainoa, Lehua, or Jenna told us what to do, trusting us to do it right, and we did it. We were also trusted with precious cargo, Nainoa’s family including his wife and two kids. We did most of the work on the waka including steering and taking down the sails. Speaking of the steering, getting into port was a challenge, but with Nainoa’s intelligence we did it successfully. We also tested out science experiments on the voyage, which didn’t turn out that well. We need to test way more tomorrow. Back to Nainoa, the group agreed that we trust Nainoa so much that we would listen to pretty much anything he said because something good always comes out of it. If Nainoa asked us to jump off the waka, anyone of us would surely do it because we completely trust him. Today was a great cultural day and I felt so blessed to be a part of it. My emotions were stirring throughout the whole day from the time I first heard the kids chanting. -Kama > Ikaia Chu < Today was one of the most overwhelming days of my life (in a good way). From beginning to end, our day was packed with incredible, once-in-a-lifetime events. Our day started with a bus ride out to a park/beach where the Hokulea was anchored. As we arrived we could see the Hokulea resting peacefully on the water. There was something about seeing it there below the sunrise that really moved me; for just a moment it took me back to old Hawaii and how things used to be. From there, kids (a whole lot more than I expected) started filing in, sitting on the hill above the beach. By the end, a whole 2,000 elementary students were sitting quietly and attentively. It was then, as we waited for the Hikianalia to arrive, that it occurred to me just how special this whole experience was. There I was, in a group of 10 hand-selected students, representing my school and my state in front of 12 Maori schools. When the Hikianalia was anchored and we finally got everyone to shore, the entirety of the students and teachers started singing and dancing to us. It was truly a breathtaking experience. Usually I am on the other side, in a large group of students who are doing the welcoming. But today I was part of the small group who was being warmly welcomed by thousands of students and teachers. I could feel the mana in that moment, which nearly brought me to tears. I can’t find words to describe how I was feeling, it was just a very powerful experience. And for a moment, standing there in front of these schools, I felt what it was like to truly take pride in my culture. As we (the Hokulea crew and our Malama Honua group) returned words and chants to their representatives, I was actually a bit worried. We had just been welcomed by a thousand students, and now it was our turn to return chants with only 30 people. Honestly, I was worried we would come across pathetic with a poorly practiced routine. However, I was relieved when some of the crew took charge. After the whole welcoming ceremony was through, the leader of the whole program decided to have every single student go through a line to shake hands with each one of us Hawaiians. Although this was a very long (and tiresome) process, it was something I have never done before, and probably will never do again. Although it was tough holding a smile for half an hour, it really made my day seeing so many of the kids so excited and enthusiastic about what they were participating in. It looked like they were truly proud to be who they were, something we as Hawaiians are still working towards. And then, following a break, it was time to board the Hokuleʻa. As we actually got on the Hokuleʻa (which was quite a bit smaller than I expected), there was a sense of calm that swept over us. Being out on the water, I couldn’t hear any of the normal city noise, all I could hear was the wind and the water. There was really a sense of peace there that I again can’t fully describe. I’ll say that even after being on the Hokuleʻa for around four hours, the feeling didn’t go away. In that moment, I guess I was just so awestruck to even see the significance of what I was doing. I was on the Hokulea! The Hokulea that once showed the world just how smart our Hawaiian people were in navigation. Few people ever see the Hokulea, and even fewer get to touch it. Now I, a high school student, was ON it, actually sailing to Auckland. It all felt so surreal, how special I was to be a part of this group. As we later found out, there were only three people there (of the ~20) who were actually crewmembers. The rest were either Nainoa Thompson’s family and friends or our Malama Honua group. Going into it all, I was just honored to even step on the boat and meet Nainoa, let alone sail with him. I expected to sit around, maybe hear some stories and get some lessons on how the ship was run. But instead, the crew treated each one of us like family. And soon enough, we the students were spread throughout the deck, actually running the Hokulea! For four hours, we actually sailed the Hokulea! That is something I am positive not many others have done. It really just blew me away to know that we were so special that we would be able to not only sail on the Hokuleʻa but to actually sail the Hokuleʻa. What really got to me was knowing it was Nainoa’s first time bringing his family on a sail on the Hokuleʻa. To put the canoe in our hands while his whole family was on board really showed his trust in us as a part of the family. Now, reflecting upon it all, I see how absolutely amazing that experience was. I am one of the few people who will ever get to sail the Hokuleʻa, and I haven’t even finished high school. The whole mission of the Hokuleʻa and Manaiakalani schools is to revive our cultures and to train young leaders to one day lead our nations. They are to show us children that anything is possible for us as Hawaiians. And today, I can truly say that I feel a part of this whole mission. Today showed me how just important each one of us students is to the future of Hawaii.
First we went to Point New England School and got welcomed by the chairperson of Manaiakalani and one of the crewmembers on the voyage. The man gave us a bit of history behind the Māori and the Pakeha and their involvement with the British Crown. It sounded very familiar to the Hawaiian Annexation but with justice. Their methods of reconstruction are successful and inspires Hawaiians to make a difference for their Lāhui. Next, we were welcomed in the most warmest way I have ever experienced and know possible; by chanting, singing, and Native Language. 2,000 kids are broken into 12 different schools but all combine together under the same vision and goal. Their voices made me and many others tear, it went straight to our hearts. After the incredible ceremony, we high fived all of them.... yes, all 2,000. You thought that was great? To finish off the day, we sailed on the Hōkūleʻa with Nainoa Thompson and his family (wife and two kids), and 3 crew members. When it was time for the escort boat to let us go, we had to open the sails and do a lot of work. We were the crew on this 3 hour voyage to Aukland and it was one of the best days of my life. Everything was so special and the Hoailona throughout the entire day made it even more special. -Ashley March 25, 2015 Regardless of what I say in this blog, the written words will not compete with the feelings I experienced today. First of all the 2,000+ haumana and kumu that were there on the shore waiting for the crew members was breathtaking. To see each and everyone of their eager faces made me feel something. Something incredible came upon me. The ceremony of welcoming the crew members that we were fortunate enough to be apart of was surreal. It was unbelievable that we were being welcomed as a part of the crew. I didn’t expect this event to be this big. Next, every single one of the 2,000 kids came down to greet us with a high five. It was a crazy thing to go through. They had expressions on their faces filled with excitement. It was evident that they wanted to be there to greet us and were very eager. The fact that all the 12 schools who came to welcome us stopped what they were doing was fascinating. The culture is so strong that it comes first. The proper greetings and welcoming of their guests is of high priority and that was amazing to see. The actual sailing on the Hokule‘a is probably the most surreal thing I had the opportunity to be a part of. I am thankful and blessed that I got to do this with a great group of people. I didn’t know we would be expected to do so much and that was the best part. I felt honored to know that the most legendary navigator of this generation put his trust in ourselves to safely sail for a few hours. His family was aboard with us and that in itself showed me how much he trusted us and made me feel even more honored to be apart of such a monumental event. I am blessed and thankful for such an opportunity. First we arrived at Point New England School, which is situated right on the shore of the bay/estuary. We walked from the shuttle to the beach and right there, situated in front of the rising sun, was Hōkūleʻa. The picture opportunities were great with the sun lighting the waʻa from behind as she sat in the empty bay/estuary, and it was such a beautiful, peaceful moment. I could almost envision what such a vision mustʻve looked like to our kūpuna of long ago. We walked down on to the beach where “Hōkūleʻa” was written on the sand as if to welcome the waʻa and crew. We also got to collect pretty shells that were different form the shells we get in Hawaiʻi. There were these really cool red-orange shells that were larger, flatter versions of sunrise shells. When we went out onto a natural pier-like rock formation (which was super slippery because it was covered in clay and mud), we got to take really cute pictures. We had to be careful not to fall though. I almost fell, but Ikaia luckily caught me lol. Chris and his GoPro, however, werenʻt as lucky...It was also cool to watch how quickly the tide came into the bay. In a span of about an hour, the water easily rose five feet. Just as the tide was rising, Hikianalia sailed into the cove with educators and Hōkū’s crew on board. We walked in from the rock pier with them and stood on the beach in front of 2,000+ Maori mātua, teachers, and keiki from the conglomerate of schools called Manaiakalani. They chanted to us, and I felt chills run down my spine as they chanted and danced to us. I could feel my kūpuna by me as we connected with our Pacific island cousins. I think it was about halfway through the kidsʻ chant that I felt myself start to cry out of respect and awe for the power and magic of the moment. I was standing in front of more than two thousand people, some of whom did not look Maori at all, who were all proudly representing their families, people, and culture with triumph and pride. It defnitely a type of honor we need to instill in our Hawaiian people, especially considering how we often do “Hawaiian things” like oli, mele, pule, etc. only because we have to, not because we want to. I saw pride and confidence. That was the biggest difference I saw between Maori and Hawaiians as I stood on that beach. Once the Maori finished their welcome, we chanted Ngati Ruawahia back, and I think that is the most powerful oli I have ever chanted as thirty-some voices filled the bay, announcing Hōkūleʻa’s arrival to Point New England. Then we all stood in a line on the beach and all of the keiki, all two thousand plus of them, filed past us and gave us high-fives, handshakes, hugs, and even some honi. It was so fun to smile and say “aloha” and be greeted back by “kia ora!” I still am processing the fact that I probably high fived more hands in 30 minutes than I will ever high five again in my life! It was pretty awesome to see the bright smiles on the kids’ faces, and it was motivating to hear the kids say how inspiring, awesome, or nice we are! It’s definitely an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. Once the ceremony was done, we walked up to the grass fields above the beach and ate lunch while mingling with the kids. They all had different colored polos depending on what school they were from, and even though there was only one Pūnana Leo-type school, a lot of the kids were speaking Maori to each other as casually as if they were speaking English. It was really inspiring to hear all the different kids connecting to each other via a common language.
Once we got to Hōkū, I got super excited. We met Nainoa Thompson and his family, two of Nainoa’s personal friends, and two of the trained crew members named Jenna and Lehua (who is Mr. Kamalu’s daughter). They gave us a safety lesson (including how to use the harness for the bathroom) and then it was up to us to help sail the waʻa. Ashley, Kainoa, Kealohi and Noʻeau were put on steering duty in the back while Chris, Keenan, Andrea, and Kama helped but up the back sail, and Ikaia and I put up the jib/headsail. We learned how to tie bowline knots, how to tie ropes off onto the mast, and how to rig the sails up and down. Once we were done with that, I sat on the nose of the canoe and listened to Nainoa talk about the future of Polynesian voyaging and Hawaiian navigation. When I asked him if he planned to continue voyaging, he turned to his young daughter (about three years old) and said that his children were his new voyage as he begins to pull back. It was truly inspiring to talk to him (while we were sighting for all of the ferries, sailboats and motorboats speeding in and out of Auckland Harbor) and I feel like I learned a lot from him. He’s a great and wise leader, and I can see where much of the modern success of Polynesian voyaging comes from. I was also impressed that Nainoa trusted Jenna & Lehua and US, near strangers, to be in charge of sailing the waʻa with his family on board. Once we docked, we helped take down the masts and remove the sails (the masts were super heavy) and then we went to dinner nearby the harbor. Today was just a mind-blowing experience, and I’m still trying to process it all. I mean, I got to high-five more than two thousand people, I got to try hangi food, I got to physically sail the Hōkūleʻa, and I made tons of memories. These are the experiences I was looking for on this trip, and my expectations were more than fulfilled!
25 March 2015 Today was pretty crazy. In the morning we went to where Hokule’a came to be welcomed and greeted by Manaiakalani, a group of schools centered on technology and Maori culture. It was a pretty amazing experience. We stood there with the crew of the Hokule’a and a few other people while 2,000 kids sang to us. That alone was a crazy experience. They were so passionate and excited to be there. The voyage of the Hokule’a really means a lot to them and their schools and their culture. I high fived 2,000 kids today!!! That was incredible and really fun. After the greeting we got to sail the Hokule’a back to Auckland harbor, which was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I never imagined being on the boat, let alone sailing it. We weren’t just sitting on it either, we were literally sailing the boat. Nainoa Thompson was guiding us, but we set up the sails and steered the boat and sailed for 3 hours (which passed by in what seemed like minutes), and took the ship into the docks. It’s hard to even describe how crazy the experience was. Nainoa Thompson is amazing. He has such a strong presence even though he’s a pretty quiet, laid-back guy. When we were getting close to the harbor he led us so well it was amazing, all without even raising is voice. I’ve never seen someone who seemed so in control. It was inspiring, and you can’t help but listen to everything he says and do exactly what he says. I want to be able to inspire people some day the way he does. Today was incredible. I was sailing on the Hokule’a. That is definitely one of the highlights of my life so far. This is one of the most amazing things I feel like I’ve ever been apart of. -Noeau Machado I could say anything, but nothing put down in writing will compete with the feelings I got from today's adventures. The events that I was apart of today were unbelievable and I am blessed to have had this opportunity. When we arrived upon shore as a part of the crew I was astonished by the people who were there to greet and welcome us. It was truly breathtaking the ceremony that they had there waiting for us. Every single one of their faces expressed joy, gratitude, and inspiration. I was in awe of the faces and true passion of each and everyone of the children and adults who were there to meet us. I truly felt welcomed. It was awesome to be a part of the cultural ceremony and see the wonderful interactions between the Maori and Hawaiian culture. (more to come) We were also blessed with the opportunity to actually sail with Nainoa Thompson as a hui on the Hokule‘a. This was a crazy thing. To be a part of the journey that the Hokule‘a represents feels as if the kuleana was passed down to all of us to perpetuate everything that they represent. This includes the Hawaiian culture, our Kupuna, and all of the knowledge they hold. The actual sailing was incredible knowing what the Hokule‘a is and what it symbolizes. I don't know how to describe the feelings I had. (more to come) Today we woke up bright and early to go to the Manaiakalani festival. The weathers looked pretty nice and felt like a pretty perfect day to do this ceremony. In general I didn’t know what to expect from the ceremony because I really don’t exactly know what it is about besides a bunch of schools gathering. To my surprise however this ceremony was done to welcome the Hokulea as it set sail in New Zealand. It was unbelievable that we were able to be apart of the Hokulea’s crew and be welcomed by 12 different Maori tribes, not to mention be able to greet 2000 students with a bunch of high fives going around which took around 40 mins to accomplish. What a workout! Speaking to the students was really interesting. I met a girl much younger than me and she reminded me a lot of myself; very shy, conservative, and timid to unfamiliar faces. Although she was young, it was interesting to know she didn’t speak maori. In my head my thought process was that most of them spoke their language, but in actuality it’s kind of like Hawaii. That little girl, even though she didn’t know her language, she just expressed her culture just because she was taught that way. I’ve learned that what’s different about them and us is that their culture is the center of their daily lives and everything else follows, which is something I eventually want to do to express more of my culture. After the ceremony was done our group had the privilege to sail on the Hokulea. The wa’a was definitely not what I expected it to be. I pictured a true authentic voyaging canoe, but it’s a pretty good replicate with a tiny modern touch to it. I didn’t find this out till after, but out of the 21 of us, only 3 were actually experienced navigators. It’s crazy to think Nainoa Thompson brought his family along as well for their first voyage, and he entrusted us with his family as if we were apart of his own. The trip took around 3 hours from Port England to Auckland, but the time went by really fast. Everyone was pretty much put to work without even knowing what to do, but we just did it anyways. A few friends and I were very fortunate to be able to steer the canoe. Steering the boat was pretty difficult. For one the paddle was really fat and huge, and probably like 3 times larger than myself as well as 40 times bigger than a regular steering blade. Also due to its massive size, the paddle catches more water, so believe it or not, it took a lot of strength and hands to steer the wa’a. Overall a fun experience, and a quite unbelievable to think I was able to steer the Hokulea to our destination without even knowing where it was. Today was just incredible! -Kealohi S. Today we walked about ten miles on an adventure around Auckland. We got to walk on the city streets, which reminded me of NYC except the streets here are much cleaner and everyone doesn't seem nearly as rushed to get somewhere. However, the drivers are kinda like maniacs and I'm always afraid that I'm gonna get run over or clipped by a bus! We walked over this huge bridge that spans a gully. Below the bridge is a huge cemetery full of some of the original settlers from the 1800s. Our shuttle driver from the night before told us that there used to be a hospital below the bridge as well, and apparently a lot of people would jump off of the bridge. Depending on their condition after the jump, they would either be taken to the hospital or the cemetery It's interesting (and slightly gruesome) stories like these that make our adventuring all the more interesting. They have huge glass barriers around the bridge now so that people don't jump, but it was still pretty interesting to see how far the gully was below us. Cemetery below the bridge Once we got to the park that surrounds the Auckland museum, we got to climb a huge tree (which Kainoa scaled like a koala!), chase geese around (which No'eau took tons of selfies with), and we even got to explore some of the gardens. The meadows were really well-maintained and the flowers were so vibrant and colorful. The museum itself was very impressive in its architectural style. It reminded me of the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. We took lots of pictures in front of it and once we went inside we got to explore the different exhibits. We perused through the Polynesian history exhibits on the first floor. There were cases upon cases of different Maori artifacts, but the coolest part was this one exhibit that showed items from all the different Polynesian island groups. There were samples of Hawaiian kapa, Marquesian spears, and this really cool body armor from Samoa that had a puffer fish helmet! It looked pretty intimidating. I've posted a picture in the slideshow. Ikaia and I explored the rest of the exhibits, which included art from South East Asia, a volcanoes exhibit explaining how Aotearoa was formed, and a reef exhibit where we took selfies with shark models. On the third floor of the museum they had a huge monument to all of the soldiers and nurses from New Zealand who passed away in the first and second World Wars. It reminded me of the Vietnam War Memorial, although this one was significantly more condensed. It was very solemn yet peaceful to spend time reading about New Zealand's involvement in the World Wars under the Commonwealth. We also got to eat at the museum cafe today. I had a steak sandwich, which was good, but my most memorable meal from today was this AWESOME drink called spirulina, which is made out of plankton and is really healthy for humans. I basically got to drink whale food today, and I really really enjoyed it. In fact, when we went to the grocery store to get food and supplies in the evening, I bought myself a big bottle of spirulina to drink throughout the week. Oh and I also bought some Magnum ice cream bars, which are like heaven in ice cream form. It was quite an experience to carry tons of plastic bags full of groceries around the city, but I've actually come to enjoy walking around the city and getting to see all the different people. -Katie K. Sakys |
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May 2015
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