Kamehameha Schools haumāna and limahana will welcome Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia to the sacred shores of Raʻiātea this summer.
On June 23, the iconic waʻa is set to arrive at Marae Taputapuātea — a sacred voyaging center and UNESCO World Heritage Site — where 25 haumāna, kumu and staff from the Kapālama campus will take part in a high ceremony alongside their Tahitian hosts and members of the Kaviyangan Paiwan Tribe of Taiwan.
Since Hōkūleʻa first launched from Kualoa in 1975, Kamehameha students have carried the kuleana of protocol and hoʻokipa at major ports around the world. They train year-round to lead ʻawa ceremonies and perform hula and mele as cultural ambassadors. This year, the haumāna will also meet with youth in Faʻaroa and Uturoa.
Continuing the tradition in this anniversary year, their contributions reflect a deep commitment to growing ʻōiwi leadership and perpetuating connections across Moananuiākea.
“Whether our haumāna are offering hoʻokupu or ʻoli, they’re doing what our kūpuna did,” said Lāiana Kanoa-Wong, a Kamehameha Schools cultural consultant. “They don’t just get to witness history. They are active participants and leaders in it.”
In January, Kamehameha Schools signed a cultural-educational agreement with the three mayors of Raʻiātea to promote ongoing community exchange. This relationship will deepen on June 26 with formal agreements signed between KS and two leading Tahitian institutions: Samuel Raʻapoto School and Te Fare ʻUpa Rau, the Artistic Conservatory of French Polynesia.
After several days of cultural exchange, the canoes will sail to Tahiti for a grand celebration at Papeʻete on June 28, where Hōkūleʻa first landed in 1976. Hosted by French Polynesian President Moetai Brotherson and Minister of Education and Culture Ronny Teriipaia, the gathering will include an exciting performance by both Hawaiian and Tahitian artists featuring mele composed especially for this historic moment.
The June ceremonies are one stop in a three-year journey, with each landfall a chance to deepen ancestral ties and carry the spirit of Pacific voyaging forward.
Watch the documentary below to explore the longstanding pilina between Kamehameha Schools and the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
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