HONOLULU (KHON2) — Polynesian Voyaging Society’s traditional voyaging canoe duo Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia, accompanied by Tahiti’s canoe Faʻafaite, made landfall at Taputapuātea in French Polynesia on the morning of June 24.
Taputapuātea is located on the island of Raʻiātea and is seen as the ancestral homeland and spiritual center of Polynesia voyaging.
Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia departed from Hilo and made landfall after a 21-day, 2,500-mile journey.
Upon landfall, crew members were transported to shore where they were greeted by Taputapuātea High Priest Andre Maramatoa. The priest acknowledged the voyagers and invited them to declare their identity and purpose, per ancient protocol.
The crews participated in an array of cultural celebrations, including hula performed by a delegation from Kamehameha Schools and flute playing from Taiwan’s Kaviyangon Paiwan people.
“It was an honor to be on Hōkūleʻa and to let her go…to allow her to take us to our ancestral home of Taputapuātea,” said Polynesian Voyaging Society CEO and Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson. “Coming home is really about recognizing our ancestral family and remembering that family values are the foundation for peace. This arrival was especially meaningful after celebrating the 50th birthday of Hōkūleʻa.”
Taputapuātea is regarded as sacred and the center of Pacific voyaging, where explorers from all over the Pacific would train, exchange knowledge and more. It is believed that ancient voyagers departed from Taputapuātea to settle amongst the Pacific — including Hawaiʻi, Aotearoa and Rapa Nui.
“To see the elders of Taputapuātea still here today speaks to the strength of our shared commitment to each other,” Thompson said. “Taputapuātea is more than a place, it is a sacred center, and it is now a World Heritage Site, and a reminder that we are one family, one oceanic family, connected by deep roots and an unbroken voyage,”
The canoe duo left Taputapuātea early on the morning of Wednesday, June 25, for Tahiti, where they are expected to arrive on Saturday, June 29, before the voyagers spend a month in French Polynesia.
To follow along their journey, visit Hōkūleʻa’s website or visit them on social media @hokuleacrew.