#hekenukumai

[kapatotapa]

A Love Letter to you Māmā Hōkūle’a

This week (what felt like) the entire world celebrated Hokulea's 40th birthday. An immense occasion that marks how far voyaging and navigation has come since her birth. On March 8th, 1975 Hōkūle’a was launched in Kaneo’he Bay on O’ahu. To me, she is the ultimate symbol of the revival of traditional knowledge because in the darkness she emerged, materialised from a dream, and she became a guiding light – hope for a future that acknowledged the past.

In 1985 Hōkūle’a came to Aotearoa and it wasn’t until 2012 that the next generation of crew returned to pay homage to the significant events of this meeting. I was privileged to accompany Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson and the crew as we traveled North to Waitangi, Aurere, Hokianga and Te Reinga. This was my first encounter with Hokule’a despite the fact that she was not physically present- spiritually she was with us.

Our journey began with the launching of Hikianalia, her sister canoe and escort waka for the World Wide Voyage. Hikianalia was built at Salt House in Greenhithe and is the newest of 10 modern double hulled waka. This in itself demonstrates how far reaching Hōkūle’a’s influence has been because now almost every island nation has their own voyaging waka and here in Aotearoa we have many (Te Matau a Maui, Aurere, Ngahiraka, Hinemoana, Haunui, Aotearoa 1 and Aotearoa 2 to name a few!)

When Hōkūle’a arrived in Waitangi in 1985 it was a momentous occasion because it was the first time in hundreds of years since a waka had metaphorically pulled Te Ika A Maui (the North Island) out of the ocean. For the tangata whenua receiving Hōkūle’a at Te Tii marae, they could not get past the fact that these Hawaiians had achieved what their tupuna had: they were the modern day embodiment of our ancestors. How are we to receive them? what is the appropriate tikanga?

Nainoa Thompson tells us that after days of sailing and sleepless nights, they were exhausted. They were also nervous, in awe of te ao Māori, their traditions and culture. After the powhiri they were swept into the whare, where kaumatua delved into a three day long debate that continued relentlessly through the night– but it was all in te reo Māori. Nainoa said the crew had very little idea what was going on. It seemed every one had an opinion about their arrival and the debate went on and on..

Finally the verdict came. Hōkūle’a was to become the 6th Iwi of Te Taitokerau and gifted land to build their own marae. To those kaumatua- Hōkūle’a’s voyage, despite the fact they had no intention of migration, mirrored the first voyages to Aotearoa. To honour the past and the present crews achievement, they were essentially being adopted. Hōkūle’a was now Ngati Ruawahia and in 2012- Nainoa had come back to resolve this mantle. To me Hokule’a is inextricably linked to Aotearoa and every crew member may feel at home here.

Hōkūle’a’s voyages between the years 1975 and 2000 has not only made her a symbol of the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance but also inspired canoe building, voyaging and the relearning of traditional navigation throughout the Pacific. No rei ra, Happy Birthday Mama Hōkū. You are our guiding star, a symbol of re-orientation, a metaphor of revival.