‘The canoe will never leave you:’ Hōkūleʻa sets sail after two-week stay on Kaua‘i

Capt. Kaiwi Hamakua-Makue of the Polynesian Voyaging Society first encountered the iconic voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa while in high school on Oʻahu.

“I know that, for me, looking back as a child, those are the kind of experiences that inspired me along the way,” said the 32-year-old, who has traveled at least 25,000 nautical miles aboard the vessel.

More than 1,500 students from 12 Kauaʻi schools stepped onboard Hōkūleʻa during its recent two-week stop on the Garden Isle. Hamakua-Makue hopes they also will be inspired.

“The most beautiful thing is connecting to friends and people in our communities, and then creating new friendships and having the opportunity to serve our students, our keiki,” Hamakua-Makue said. “Giving them the opportunity to learn about ​​Hōkūleʻa and voyaging … using this as a classroom is a great thing.”

Hōkūleʻa’s visit to Kauaʻi was just part of its Pae ‘Āina Statewide Sail, a 3,000-mile journey around the Hawaiian Islands. It’s a seven-month interlude in the Moananuiākea Voyage, an epic circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean that began in 2023 and is set to conclude in 2028.

​​The first iteration of Hōkūleʻa – “Star of Gladness” – embarked upon its maiden voyage to Tahiti from Hawai‘i in 1976. The successful endeavor marked a profound moment in the revitalization of Polynesian culture, reaffirming its rich tradition of master navigators capable of finding remote islands across vast seas.

Hōkūleʻa sailed from O‘ahu to Hanalei on the North Shore of Kaua‘i on Aug. 17, where it remained until Aug. 22, when it docked at Nāwiliwili Small Boat Harbor for the duration of its time on the Garden Isle.

The two-masted, double-hulled canoe measures 62 feet in length, drawing about 2 feet of water. Its hulls and deck are painted russet and ivory, respectively, while its sails appear burgundy. Vibrant lei were draped on each prow during its stop at Nāwiliwili.

“It’s such an honor to be onboard that I’m certainly ready to sail whenever I’m invited,” said Dan Kinzer, one of 400 crewmembers the Polynesian Voyaging Society has slated to pilot Hōkūleʻa and its sister, Hikianalia, throughout the Moananuiākea Voyage.

The canoes’ circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean aims to begin a movement of 10 million “planetary navigators” who will undertake voyages of their own to ensure a better future for Earth.

“We do so by developing young leaders and engaging communities around the world while amplifying the vital importance of our oceans, nature, science and indigenous wisdom,” the Polynesian Voyaging Society states online.

“Hōkūleʻa is timeless,” Kinzer said. “We’re carrying the knowledge of the ancestors and we’re inviting everything that’s coming in on the wind, from the future, onboard.”

Lifelong Kaua‘i resident Attwood Makanani was among the few members of the public who lingered beside Hōkūleʻa one recent evening, as the sun set and shadows loomed. He was among those involved in the creation of Hōkūleʻa in the mid-1970s.

Makanani, like others who have spent much time aboard or alongside Hōkūleʻa, reverently refers to the canoe as “mama.”

“It’s like the kupuna [ancestor] that started this whole revitalization of voyaging and navigation,” he said. “The other generation, whenever they’re ready, that’s why Hōkūleʻa is here … to let them know that anyone, whenever they’re open and ready, will have an opportunity to voyage.

Makanani added: “Just stepping on the canoe, your voyage has already begun. The canoe will never leave you.”

Hōkūleʻa is now headed to Haleʻiwa on the North Shore of O‘ahu. For the latest updates on the Pae ‘Āina Statewide Sail, visit hokulea.com and @hokuleacrew on Facebook and Instagram.