PAPEETE, Tahiti (KHON2) — Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia made a historic arrival in Papeʻetē, Tahiti on June 28.
Arriving back in Tahiti for the first time since June 1976, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia were greeted by thousands on the beach celebrating their return.
This arrival marked 49 years since Hōkūleʻa made her first historic voyage to Tahiti, making landfall at the very same spot in Papeʻetē, which is now named Hōkūleʻa Beach.
“Hōkūleʻa’s arrival here in Papeʻetē is a homecoming, not just for our canoe, but for the values that bind our oceanic family together,” said Nainoa Thompson, CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and navigator of Hōkūleʻa. “It was here 49 years ago that Hōkūleʻa reminded us who we are. And it is here again that we celebrate the enduring spirit of voyaging, the strength of our ancestors, and our founders and teachers who made this possible.”
As the canoes approached Hōkūleʻa Beach, the shoreline was filled with the sounds of pū, rhythmic drumming, chants, and traditional Tahitian dance.
The crew was then transferred to shore, where the festivities continued with sacred ceremonies, pule, blessings and offerings including the sprinkling of salt and the traditional ʻawa ceremony.
Following the formalities, the community gathered for a concert to celebrate the 50th birthday of Hōkūleʻa, honoring the canoe that rekindled the spirit of wayfinding and the relationship between Hawaiʻi and Tahiti.
The arrival in Papeʻetē is a key stop on the Moananuiākea Voyage, a 43,000-nautical-mile journey circumnavigating the Pacific Ocean.
For updates and more information on the voyage, visit the Hokuleʻa website.