Mimi and Meph helped welcome Hokule`a home on 17 June, and then exhibited at the Convention Center conference on ocean voyaging 18-20 June. Hokule’a completed her three year, world-wide, voyage. Canoes from several Pacific Islands arrived with them. Crews from several farflung islands came looking for support for building their own voyaging canoe and making voyages, and for accessing any sustainable sea transport to help them do it! Many told us that want Nga Taumako to train them in ancient materials, methods, designs, and tools. This event helped everyone connect!
Escorted by kayaks, jetskis, surfers, and racing canoes, Hokule`a glides into Ala Wai harbor. Tens of thousands of people crowded into Magic Island Park and onto the jetty to greet the canoe and crew. Many more watched the celebration on television.
Kauai’s own Na Mahoe rides at anchor with other voyaging canoes, from Maui, Hawaii, Tahiti, and Marshall Islands, that came to honor Hokule`a.
The marvelous malo mooring men in action securing the Tahiti canoe. Courteous and competent, they had the important job of ensuring that the various canoes were properly spaced and moored. As if this were not enough, they also did an informal trash pick-up. Mahalo mooring men!
Honolulu Star-Advertiser photo of Hokule`a tied up in the Ala Wai behind the Convention Center. Getting the canoe into the canal was quite an accomplishment, involving squeaking her under the bridge at low tide. Another photo taken from the bridge shows about 50 people crowded onto her deck to help lower her hull enough for her to pass below.
Taiko drummers were among the local performers who welcomed Hokule`a at the Convention Center.
Pacific Traditions Society was one of many organizations that were given display space at the Convention Center on 18-20 June. Besides selling bags, T shirts, and other items, Mimi and Meph gave out several hundred informational brochures and pens. They also conversed with old friends and made new ones. Activities at the Convention Center ran from about 0830 until 1630 each day.
Joseph (on left) had worked in the Solomons in the early 1990’s, and had bought this model tepuke. He generously lent it to us for use in our display
People from all walks of life visited the Convention Center and stopped by our table. Here Mimi shows Derek’s article to Keahi, longtime Hokule’a crew and Honolulu police officer on duty.
A walking ecosystem, this friendly gentleman showed up on Monday wearing this marvelous hat.
On Tuesday he showed up with an even bigger one!
Mimi gets interviewed
So many people wanted to interview Mimi that we thought we would need to install a Take-a-number machine on the table.
Our VTP bags were popular and we sold quite a few. (Mahalo, Tony!)
One of the most popular activities at the gathering was Steve Soltysik’s canoe model building program. Hundreds of kids, of which we show a few here, enjoyed making their own mini Hokule`a.