The Hklea

Modern Hawaiian Issues

By: Joshua Ryoma Terakubo

June 12, 2014

The Hklea is the Proving point of Hawaiian Migration in the pacific from
the Marquesas isles. The Hokulea is a high performance and accurate replica of a
Hawaiian double hull canoe called the Waa Kaulua made specifically to travel large
distances including the 2,000 miles from the Marquesas isles to Hawaii. This
Migration was not a random thing and the Polynesians, who where soon to be called
the Hawaiian people navigated the vast distance between the Marquesas isles and
Hawaii. This also makes the Hklea historically and culturally significant to
Hawaii as some theories state that the Hawaiians who settled here where just a
lucky group of sailors which is near impossible due to the fact there is almost a 0%
chance to have been successful.
Historically the Hklea is one of survival, restoration, and was almost lost
once and close to being lost forever. But now today it is a story we will be telling our
grandchildren and passing on the history written to be remembered forever. The
Hklea means Star of Gladness and her beginnings where of the revival of the
exploration, ingenuity, and courage that the Hawaiians had when they traveled to
Hawaii. The first Hawaiians used double hulled canoes that where never seen over
a period of 600 years a group of dreamers in the revival of Herb Kanes hope to
restore these Pieces of Hawaiian life where brought together and created the
Hklea in 1970. Today the Hklea is more than just evidence that the original
Hawaiians made it to Hawaii, it is the representation of the desire shared by the
people of Hawaii.(Doc 1) The Hkleas first voyage, the voyage to Tahiti in 1976
was a huge success the Tahitian genealogy and traditions led them to having many
ancestral canoes and navigators however they had no living and working voyaging
canoe. As the Hklea reached Tahiti in Papeete Harbor they where welcomed with
great affirmation of heritage and a renewal of spirit. Even great sayings have been
made into history upon the Hklea; in 1978 a voyage from Tahiti the Hklea
capsized or flipped over near the island of Molokai from a storm this lead Eddie
Aikau leading to the saying Eddie would go as he was the only one who wasn't at
risk or exposure as many of the crew where near death; we could have quit. But
Eddie had this dream about finding islands the way our ancestors did and if we quit,
he wouldnt have his dream fulfilled. He was saying to me, Raise Hawaiki from the
sea.(Doc 2) Navigator Mau Piailug was one of the last traditional navigators who
was the first navigator of the Hklea and at the time one of the only traditional
navigators. He continued his teachings in Naihoa Thompson in 1979 and Naihoa was
soon to become the next Navigator of the Hklea. After 2 voyages to Tahiti the
Hklea started to do other voyages in the footsteps of their ancestors such as the
two-year voyage to Aotearoa (1985-1987) and one to Rapa Nui (1999). With each
voyage the Hklea rediscovered many factors in the navigation, discovery, and
settling of its ancestors.
Culturally the Hklea is significant to Hawaii and the ancestry is very deeply
rooted in its rebirth and revival. Today the Hklea is on a WWV (world wide voyage)
towards the sustainability that Hawaii and the world urgently need of. To the crew of the
Hklea the opportunity to inspire the current and future generations of leaders to care
for the Earth through the outreach, storytelling, science, and education outweighs every
risk of the voyage Naihoa Thompson says if you come from the lens of what the canoe
is supposed to do it will do nothing if were tied to the dock.(Doc 2) In the first
voyage to Tahiti the Hklea was faced with cultural extinction and the Voyaging
society looked for someone taught in the ways of traditional navigation and found Mau
Piailug a navigator from a small island of Micronesia called Satawal without his help the
first voyage to Tahiti would never have happened.
In current event s news the Hklea has been seen on a World Wide Voyage of
47,000 nautical miles and the crew have been rigorously trained over the past couple of
months before the expedition as well as the planning of the route took into play the
weather forecasts and temperatures of the waters over the area they would be sailing.
Another major thing that was planned for was the escort ships these ships would not be
there to aid the Hklea in navigation or journey however they will be documenting the
ship and also defending it from pirates who may become a threat in different parts of the
world such as Somaliland pirates. The PSV (Polynesian Voyaging Society) provides the
following overview of the WWV (World Wide Voyage) the Voyage is estimated to take
4 years over more that 20 countries and 60 ports, the Crew will be trained and ready for
any situation and selected based on certain criteria, Educationally WWV will used by
educators, Scientifically there will be samples implemented throughout the voyage, and
Communication which will be done orally and threw the use of tech to share stories and
updates.
The Hklea is very important to the people of Hawaii as it is our Star of
Gladness and all residents of Hawaii are linked to the Hklea historically or culturally
as it was reborn threw hopes and dreams of very few and taken to the international level
in current events such as the WWV which PSV has orchestrated to be a crowning
achievement of any double hulled canoe in history. In very near future the Hklea will
definitely be world renown for its feats and the Hklea will teach the world of
sustaining and of the Hawaiian ways of Aloha, Laulima, Kuleana, and Ohana



Bibliography
Doc 1 Internet
"The Story of Hklea - Hokulea." Hokulea The Story of Hokulea Comments. N.p., n.d. Web.
12 June 2014.

Doc 2 magazine
"Hkle'a : The Dangers of Sailing Around the World." News Watch. Daniel Lin, 4 Apr.
2014. Web. 13 June 2014.

Doc 3 Internet

"Mission & Vision - Hokulea." Hokulea. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2014.

Doc 4 Book

Low, Sam. "Hawaiiki Rising." Hawaiiki Rising. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2014.