HONOLULU (KHON2) — It’s been an all too common occurrence on the west side of Oahu. Residents holding rallies after too much violence, too many gunshots and far too many fatalities.
But crime doesn’t have to define the Waianae coastline.
Just steps away from where the latest shooting and rally that took place, these girls have chosen the waʻa, or canoe, over violence.
“It’s amazing. I never did this growing up. When we moved here, we gave it a try and ever since that, we loved it. This is our first long season and it’s trial and error and it’s been amazing,” said Pua Egloria, Leeward Kai Canoe Club.
Pua Egloria and her sister Nella are among 10 young girls to make up the Leeward Kai Canoe Club, and their mom couldn’t be happier.
“Oh, I am because Monday through Friday we’re here basically every day, and my daughter is now that it’s long distance. Stay here till 8:30 sometimes, and then they’re just home. And if they’re here doing this? Not a problem for me,” said Lovelyn Egloria, Pua and Nella’s mom.
Check out more news from around Hawaii
“It keeps you out of trouble. You know, you find life within. You make friends, you’ll find something, you’ll belong,” said Pua Egloria.
And for these girls, finding that sense of belonging required some extra effort.
Because Leeward Kai was short of paddlers, they had to recruit other girls to join them. Turns out Nanakuli resident and Kamehameha Schools student Ryia Manufekai knew exactly who to ask: boarding students from Kona who paddle Kai ʻOpua Canoe Club in Kona.
“Luckily, Ryia stepped up, was like, ‘Coach, I think they want to paddle. I think they want to do the channel.’ I said okay, make the phone calls, make this happen, and it’s kind of cool that they were able to connect and pull us all together,” said Alfred Van Geisen, Leeward Kai Canoe Club coach.
“It’s been really opening. We get to see the different kinds of cultures. Our extent of our Hawaiian culture and the differences of it,” said Manufekai. “We love it. I love it because it’s a blend of my home community and my school community, and I love both.”
Although they still practice in different jerseys, they have become one team with a singular mission: to cross the challenging Kaiwi Channel and complete the 41-mile race from Molokai to Oahu.
“Oh, I’m excited, but it’s very nerve-racking too. But there’s only 32, and knowing that channel is 41 miles, it’s a big step, but I think we got it, even though it’s a big step,” said Pua Egloria.
“Oh my. The adrenaline is just up and pumping, and it’s quite an experience cause this is the first year for 15-year-olds, and I would think we have about four 15-year-olds in our crew,” Manufekai added.
“In the boat, we all try to be as positive as possible, like lift each other up, cause it’s hard to follow together if you like all yelling at each other, and it just doesn’t work in the boat,” said Lilia Deguair, Leeward Kai Canoe Club.
And come race day, the girls will be competing not only as one team, but in one jersey that honors both clubs from the two different islands.
“For me, because I grew up in this community and paddling like that, and I look at Kai Opua as one of those older clubs, and also they give them the respect, especially cause we’re asking them to help and we know that the work that they’ve done to help develop these girls,” said Coach Alfred.
“Yeah, we’re really excited. We saw the jerseys already. They’re really nice. We’re happy. They included us on the jersey,” said Deguair. “They’re a great group of girls and they’re all really encouraging and positive.”
That camaraderie and positivity are something all these girls hope will spread on the Leeward coast. With the hope that more boys and girls will choose to pick up a paddle and join them.
“Yeah, it’s fun. You know, I think they’d like it. It doesn’t take skill to do it. Just take pride in it, take pride and you’ll like it,” said Pua Egloria.
“When we come down to the wa’a, when we come down to the club, all of our friends and family are here,” said Coach Alfred. “We get to decide how we spend time together, what’s good. And do those things and continue doing them because it’s good for us and it keeps us away from all the distractions.”
“If in doubt to paddle out. Say that because there’s a lot of people that are struggling and stuff, but they don’t realize that there’s a whole open ocean out there for you to just relieve the stress and relax,” said Manufekai.