HONOLULU (KHON2) — Even though the first Na Wahine O Ke Kai race took place in 1979, the first women who paddled the Molokai Channel actually did it four years earlier.
The Kaʻiwi Channel, which connects Molokai to Oʻahu, is considered to be one of the most treacherous in the world.
It was a man’s sport to cross it, and where women were not allowed until Hanny Anderson, Lei Furria, Donna Cuwelo, Jake Kalama, Ruby Kalama, Wai Makua, La Abby, Gary Murikami, Yama, Clint Paaina and Pops Paaina took on the challenge.
Two crews, 36 women, each have their own story of success and gratitude for how they unknowingly changed the tides.
For Healani Canoe Club, credit goes to one man, Coach Babe Bell, who said yes while all the others said no.
“All we thought about was can the women do the crossing. That was our main concern. ‘Babe, let’s go. Can you take us?’ He said, ‘okay,’” said Ellen Pabillano, Healani Canoe Club.
“When our coach said yes, the whole club backed us up. It’s not getting permission from this person, that person. We wanted to do it,” Bernie Nii added.
For Onipaa, a crew made up of women from four different clubs, it’s a legacy beginning in the 1950s and the generation that came before.
“Hanna Bell and a couple of the other women actually stowed away to get to Molokai because back then, it was taboo. The women could not go. We couldn’t even go to watch the races,” Rosie Lum explained.
“You know, with the guys telling us no, no, no. Not like we were giving up, but when Healani said they were going, that opened it up for us, for the rest of us who wanted to go and who had been talking about it,” said Carleen Ornellas, Team Onipaa.
On the morning of Oct. 12, 1975, two koa canoes, along with their escort boats, set off from Hale O Lono toward Honolulu.
“We had a good channel. We’ve been in channels where it’s crashing over your head and bring you out there, but it was fair conditions. It was doable,” Carleen added.
“When the first change, they dropped the girls up and then we led up to it and I am standing on and my body is actually shaking. I am shaking. So I turned to coach and I said, ‘Babe, I don’t know if I am scared because my knees are knocking or I am freezing and I am scared.’ And he looked at me and said ‘get in there’ and just threw me in the ocean,” Bernie said.
Arriving in waters of Waikiki fronting the Ilikai Hotel, it wasn’t about who won the race, rather that women can persevere.
“On that particular day it was the Healani team that as also successful, and we should as a whole, celebrate what women can do and realize that a win for one wahine is a win for all wahine,” said Uilani.
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“You can do whatever you want to do as long as nobody sets a limit. If you set a limit, then that’s all I can do. But if you don’t set limits, they can do anything.”