Sept. 2, 2015

Contributed by Pakalani Bello

Kalani Asano
Aloha mai kākou, my name is Kalani Asano, and I am a junior at Kamehameha and this past summer, Tehani McLean and I had the awesome opportunity of joining The Polynesian Voyaging Society, and its Youth Leadership Initiative, otherwise known as Nā Kelamoku (The Sailors).

It all started out from being brought in by kumu Mark Ellis. He helped put out a notice on the KS bulletin that would give the youth a chance to sail and learn about navigation, and Mālama Honua.

My love for the ocean had caused me to want to sign up for this because I felt that I needed to give back more to the ocean, that so much provided for me my whole life. Kumu Mark has helped to guide and teach me in PVS during training and being introduced to traditional navigation. Without Mark I wouldn’t be where I am, in PVS today.

Jenna Ishii is another kumu who guided us and helped trained us also. She helped give that deeper connection in what Mālama Honua is, and what the waʻa means to us, not only as kanaka Hawaiʻi but also as people of this world. I found that deep cultural connection between the waʻa, Hawaiians and the world and just how special it is. We have many other awesome kumu that help guide and train us, people such as Uncle Gordon, Uncle Billy, Kaina Nakanealoha, Kaʻiwi Hamakua Makuʻe, Captain Bob, Maleko Lorenzo, Hye Jung Kim, and many others.

On our first day meeting/training with everybody we paddled a couple miles then went to PWO Master Navigator, Nainoa Thompson's house. Over there we had a really important kūkākūkā about what Nā Kelamoku is, and our goals for youth not only in PVS, but in Hawaiʻi and around the world.

We talked about things like outreach to other kids, schools, and communities. He also helped us understand why we were there and how we are the next generation to pass on the knowledge that we learn, whether it be about navigation, voyaging, traditions, culture, or things on how we can care for Hawaiʻi and the world. After this our journey really began with PVS and Nā Kelamoku.

The training is also very special too, we hike a lot because it strengthens our bond together as a crew, we do sail also, but we needed to first be a crew on land before we go out in the water. Some hikes we did were in the backyard valleys of Nainoa’s house, to going up six miles at Mauna Kaʻala in Waiʻanae. We train so that way we are able to handle the voyage on the waʻa, and also take care of our own body and help others also.

Around a month later we welcomed home Hikianalia (Hōkūle‘a’s sister canoe), it was a very special experience because it was just a unreal feeling to see the ʻohana come home after a long journey from Tahiti, and it was the first time I took a step on the waʻa. Ever since we’ve been helping out with waʻa dry dock work, doing outreach activities with youth and schools, and sailing on Hikianalia and Kamauheheu.

The experience and knowledge received from Nā Kelamoku and The Polynesian Voyaging Society so far from is just something you can’t get anywhere else. Things like being introduced to traditional navigation, sailing/voyaging, and gaining knowledge from kūpuna who have been with the waʻa ever since the beginning is just amazing.

Through PVS and Nā Kelamoku I got to know more about who I am as a person of this world and what it means to be a Kanaka Maoli of Hawaiʻi. To also have that deeper connection with my culture and where we come from is a very important thing to me, and I am thankful, grateful, and blessed to be a part of PVS and Nā Kelamoku. 

Tehani McLean
Aloha, my name is Tehani McLean. I’m 17 years old and a senior at Kamehameha Schools. Last school year, Uncle Mark Ellis had put up a link on the school bulletin about a Youth Leadership Initiative, Nā Kelamoku, that would be associated with the Polynesian Voyaging Society. I initially joined because of my love for the ocean and my dream of becoming crew for Hōkūle‘a. However, being in Nā Kelamoku has taught me more than just about Hawaiian wayfinding.

We met, for the first time, at Nainoa Thompson’s house where we had the opportunity to speak with him and set goals for our future as the youth of PVS. Since then, I’ve spent a majority of my time learning about Mālama Honua and about where our people came from. I’ve also been able to reach out, not only to local communities, but to youth around the world. Along with that, we’ve been able to sail on Hikianalia and other wa‘a a number of times and kōkua in restoring them when they’re on dry dock.

Being a Youth Leadership Initiative, we also have the kuleana to spread awareness of Mālama Honua. We do this through social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.) as well as going into the different mauka and makai on our island to learn what we can do to help.

We have one big goal set for next spring to sail/paddle around the entire island and outreach to different places to speak to youth about what they can do to help care for our pae ‘āina o Hawai‘i. It's a big task that requires a lot of preparation, but it’s a challenge that I'm excited to take on.

My time so far, has offered me with a new perspective on my culture and who I am as an individual. I’ve learned the importance of ‘ohana wa‘a and the traditional practice of holomoana. I’m incredibly blessed and humbled by this opportunity to be in Nā Kelamoku and I’m excited for what’s next in our journey in PVS.

“Kū mākou e hele me kuʻu mau pokiʻi aloha, ka ʻāina mākou i ʻike ole ʻai ma lalo aku nei, ʻAe mākou me kuʻu pokiʻi, kau i ka waʻa.”

Together we stand, departing with my loved ones, without land in sight, we climb aboard our canoe.

KSK junior Kalani Asano, left, along with KS Maui 2013 alumnus Maleko Lorenzo, gets a great learning experience aboard Hōkūle‘a’s sister canoe, Hikianalia.

Crew members work hard aboard Hikianalia include KSK senior Tehani McLean, right.