Many of them are seasoned voyagers and navigators, and hearing about their adventures was always exciting! In the spring of 2021, I was chosen to go on a voyage on Hikianalia, Hōkūleʻa’s sister canoe, that was supposed to take us to Ka Houpo o Kāne (the Intertropical Convergence Zone). Because of rough weather in the ʻAlenuihāhā Channel, we ended up staying in Lāhainā, Maui for a while before heading out a bit past Moku o Keawe (the Big Island). It was an amazing experience to be out of sight of land, and I learned so much both from my fellow crewmembers and from the waʻa ʻohana (the canoe family) in Maui!
After that, I always came back home to Hawaiʻi during my school breaks and spent more time volunteering with Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia. Being a part of the voyaging community has been such an incredible experience for me and has helped me to reconnect with Hawaiʻi after living on the East Coast for several years. In fact, I may have met some of you through Hōkūleʻa back in August – I was part of the crew when Sunset Beach Elementary came to visit in Haleʻiwa!
The experience of relearning my culture has been a really important part of my life. When I was a senior in college, I decided I wanted to see more of the world and learn more about cultures in other places, especially in other Pacific islands. That’s why I decided to apply for a Fulbright to study in Aotearoa (New Zealand)! I wanted to learn more about the ways Aotearoa and Hawaiʻi are different, and how they are similar. I also want to work on sustainability and climate change, using the wisdom of our kūpuna and of the ancestors here in Aotearoa too.
