What a glorious sight it was to see Hokule'a and Hikianalia coming into Honolua Bay escorted by Ho'okela on Aug 19. 2013. The 'ohana Kaina set the tone with a heartfelt E Komo Mai after the pu was blown, with the oli. It was a testament to learning what it means to be prepared for the wa'a by seeing JP, Krizhna, James, Max, Erin, Nicole and Chanel ready and waiting as good crew members should do. Ask them about their feelings about being chosen to present lei to Captains Nainoa, Bruce, Snake, and Bob and the crew. To the Sacred Hearts Students and parents who were able to make it to the Bay, your presence was appreciated. As Tara O'Neil, one of the UH professors who was in attendance, stated, "The best part for me was to see and hear Erin, JP and Chanel on the stage at the presentation that evening at the Ritz before Nainoa spoke. When I heard them speaking about how the World Wide Voyage has impacted their learning and how they plan to revolutionize education, all the effort we have put in, is worth it." As if Sunday's and Monday's activities weren't enough to captivate me, I was then blessed after the presentation with, "Mary Anna, would you like to sail to Kalaupapa tomorrow?" I couldn't get my "YES!" out fast enough. And thanks to our all-embracing principal, Mrs. Hendricks, who gave me her blessing at 11:00 that night to be absent for two days and knowing that Makana would be well taken care of by her new dog sitter, 3rd grade teacher, Ms Beaulieu, with a packed duffle bag, I met the crew at the Ritz early the next morning. How can I relate what it was like to sail past the highest cliffs in the world into the bay fronting Kalaupapa? To be received with such aloha by the community with deep Hawaiian protocol and then treated to a lovely paina, to walk on ground that is so sacred that I had no choice but to remove my shoes, to sleep aboard Hikianalia with the full moon lighting the night sky, reflecting on the smooth water filled me with such humility and awe that I wondered how can I be of better service to others.
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AuthorAloha. What a blessing it is to be living on our holy island. Welcome to our website. Come aboard, help hoist the sail because you are in for a journey. I am proud to be a part of this canoe as we voyage. Malama Honua. He wa'a he moku, he moku he wa'a'. ArchivesCategories |