Pacific Paddler February 2013 - (Page 20)
Hoena Wale No! ~Only Paddling! #1
In the Fall of 2012, the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Library celebrated paddling
traditions in Hawai‘i with an exhibit in the Hamilton Library’s Bridge Gallery. The information from that exhibit will be featured in a series of articles in the Pacific Paddler.
Our ancestors, who lived in the
Pacific for over 2000 years, viewed
their world as a ‘sea of islands’ rather
than ‘islands in the sea.’
'Oceania' connotes a sea of islands with their
inhabitants. The world of our ancestors was a
large sea full of places to explore, to make their
homes in, to breed generations of seafarers like
themselves. People raised in this environment
were at home with the sea. They played in it as
soon as they could walk steadily, they worked in
it, they fought on it. They developed great skills
for navigating their waters, and the spirit to tra-
verse even the few large gaps that separated their
island groups. (Epeli Hau‘ofa, Our Sea of Islands)
In Hawai‘i if you grow up oceanside (makai),
surf (he’e nalu), swim (‘aukai) and paddle (hoe
wa‘a), you are as comfortable on the water as you
are on the land. The rhythm of the waves and the
I KA WA‘A KAHIKO/OF
THE ANCIENT CANOE
Hawaii’s history is rich with stories of voyag-
visits and warfare. Innovations necessitated by
life style and the island environment, resulted in
changes in canoe design. For short coastal and
inter-island trips, paddling replaced sailing as the
ing from gods of ancient times to Hōkūle‘a of our
dominant mode of transportation. Chiefs trav-
over thousands of miles of open ocean using the
fight a skirmish, or conduct a guarded retreat to
their tools.
of wind conditions, bodyguards doubled as canoe
beginning with Papa, traveled between Kahiki and
in any direction despite ocean calms or adverse
time. Native Hawaiians navigated their way north
eled with bodyguards who could launch a raid,
stars, ocean currents and natural phenomena as
the canoe landing for a quick escape. Regardless
Twenty generations of deep ocean voyagers,
paddlers, providing the ability to move canoes
Hawai‘i according to ancestral genealogies. One
winds (Kane/PVS).
settled on the island of Kaua‘i. His son, Kila,
ing chief of Hilo, Hawaii) recounted by Samuel
and Ka‘ōhala, Kauai, and his grandson, Kaha‘i,
detailed account of assembling canoes built by
of the famous voyagers, Mo‘ikeha from Kahiki,
In the story of Keawe-nui-a-‘Umi (the rul-
loved to surf in a canoe on the waves at Makaīwa
Kamakau in Works of the People of Old, was a
sailed to Kahiki and returned with breadfruit that
expert canoe builder, Lulana.
was planted at Pu‘uloa, in ‘Ewa on O‘ahu.
Canoes of these deep ocean voyaging tra-
No canoes as beautiful had ever been seen
in olden times. They were twenty anana long
[20 fathoms] and one anana and one iwilei [1 ½
voyaging was passed from masters to selected
of the doings of this expert who was unequalled
who knew the chants to control the elements.
In no time the canoes were finished inside and
included the po‘e kahuna kala‘i (canoe builder),
‘Umi, the chiefs, lesser chiefs, and commoners
ers), po‘e hoe (paddlers), and the po‘e kama i
became a favorite and was made chief over all
canoe.
flow of the tides are second nature. With train-
ditions were given names imbuing them with
series of articles celebrates Hawaii’s paddling traditions and honors those water men and women
who perpetuate our unique ocean heritage.
Keawe-nui-a-‘Umi.
apprentices. They included kaula (priests)
in his skill, he was filled with happiness and joy.
Specialized jobs affiliated with canoe traditions
ready to be hauled to the shore. Keawe-nui-ahauled the canoes to the shore of Hilo. Lulana
kahuli pū who knew the art of righting a capsized
the best watermen and women in the world. This
fathoms] in depth. When Keawe-nui-a-‘Umi heard
ho‘okele (navigators), kilo hoku (star gaz-
ing in paddling and surfing, island keiki become
special sacred qualities. Extensive knowledge of
canoe experts (po’e kahuna kala’i) on Hawaii by
HAWAIIAN CANOES
According to artist Herb Kane, deep ocean
voyaging between Hawai‘i and Tahiti declined
prior to the arrival of the European voyagers in
the Pacific. As the Hawaiian population grew
in the islands, the function of canoes shifted
from voyaging canoes to large canoes for chiefly
20 Pacific Paddler - February 2013
RESOURCES
Chun, Naomi N. Y.
Hawaiian canoe-building traditions.
Illustrated by Robin Y. Burningham.
Honolulu, HI: Kamehameha Schools/
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate.
Hau’ofa, Epeli
2008 We are the ocean: selected
works. Honolulu: University of Hawaii
Press.
Kamakau, Samuel M.
1992 Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii.
Translated by Mary Kawena Pukui.
Honolulu: Kamehemeha Schools. (First
published in 1961.)
1976 Works of the People of Old.
Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, pp.
118-122.
Kane, Herb Kawainui
1998 “Evolution of the Hawaiian
Canoe,” http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/
ike/kalai_waa/kane_evolution_hawaiian_canoe.html
1998 “In Search of the Ancient
Polynesian Voyaging Canoe,” http://
pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/ike/kalai_waa/
kane_search_voyaging_canoe.html
1991 Voyagers. Bellevue, WA:
Whalesong.
Polynesian Voyaging Society
Hawaiian Voyaging Traditions. http://
pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/index.html
http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/
http://http://
http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/ike/kalai_waa/
http://http://
http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/index.html
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Paddler February 2013
Kanaka Ikaika's Waterman's Series
Maui Canoe and Kayak Club
Kauai Hoe Wa’a
Hawaii Island Paddle Sports
Vaka Eiva, Cook Islands
Santa Barbara - Return to the Pier
Unknown Factors
Hoena Wale No! Only Paddling! #1
Another Dam Race
Moloka’i World Championships
Keeping a Healthy Back
Law Enforcement Regatta
You can paddle, but can you swim?
Pacific Paddler February 2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1017
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0817
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0617
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0417
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1216
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1016
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0816
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0616
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0416
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0216
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1215
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1015
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0815
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0615
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0415
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0215
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1214
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1014
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0814
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0614
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0414
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0214
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1213
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1013
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0813
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0613
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0413
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0213
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1212
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1012
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0812
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0612
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0412
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0212
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1211
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/1011
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0811
https://www.nxtbook.com/trade/pp/0611
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com