These last couple of days in New Zealand have been unreal. Being here I not only strengthened my connection to PVS, but now with this opportunity I was able to gain the experience of a life time. Thanks to the will of our founder Pauahi and Kamehameha Schools for opening the doors and providing me the incredible chance to be apart of the voyage, I was able to make all these lasting relationships and gain a better sense of my culture. The last days on the wa'a were mostly spent finishing up the final touches of the science kit procedures and labeling all the wires on the Hikianalia. It's hard to believe we were sent here not knowing what to do or what to expect, and yet we as a new hanau we were able to accomplish a lot. Saying our goodbyes on our final days on top Hoku and Hiki were tougher than expected. Because of all the work put into helping the voyage move forward, leaving it felt like leaving apart of myself with it to. It was as if all the mana we put into helping the voyage made us more apart of it than we realized. Being able to sail and work atop both vessels has been such an indescribable experience and has given me more of a drive now to be more active within the voyage. To finish off our final hours before heading home we were able to work on a farm and visit one last marae. Being on the farm was a lot different than I expected, since it seemed more like the farm our sustainability class had visited in Kalaupapa a couple months ago. More of a plantation/gardening place rather than an animal farm type style. Much of the work done is mainly centered around weeding since the farm is largely revolved around producing organic produce, so much of their work is doing a lot of hands on maintenance. It was definitely a life experience to be able to contribute our time to the farm. The last eventful thing of the day was visiting a marae at Unitec. This by far had to be one of the most beautiful ones I've seen out of all that we've gone to in New Zealand. All the intricate carvings from inside out was nothing like I've seen before. Everything was just so beautifully done, and it's crazy to see this as a place that keeps all the history. An elder mentioned that each pillar in the marae not only serves as a story of the past, but also as a foundation that holds up the structure. To me I saw it as a kind of metaphor that basically relates to the history carrying out the culture, which is what the marae seemed to be symbolizing. It was pretty neat reading all the different representations of each item and getting to know the culture's history. Overall a great way to end the day. I am so thankful and blessed to be apart of such an experiential trip and to be able to share it with such an incredible group made it even more worth while. Words can not even explain how our many experiences have created lots of unbelievable memories that we can take as we each set off on our different journeys. All of what New Zealand has offered to my Ohana these past 10 days has given us an unforgettable experience of a life time. -Kealohi S.
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May 2015
CategoriesContributorsThe members on the Mālama Honua journey will maintain this area to document their experiences. |