”This is a way to say aloha to all of the families that have taken care of us.”
[dropcap2]H[/dropcap2]ōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are officially into the second leg of the voyage around the world. The first crew took these double-hulled canoes from Hawaiʻi to Tahiti in record time. But after a couple of weeks, sad to be leaving but happy to be returning home, this crew left the helm to the second crew who made their way from Hawaiʻi to Tahiti to begin preparations for their journey, which will take them from Tautira, Tahiti to Pago Pago, American Sāmoa.
During their short stay in Tahiti, the village of Tauitra took the crew in and adopted them as their own. To aloha and mahalo the people of Tautira, the crew traded in their sailing gear for the day and took command of the kitchen.
“This is a way to say aloha to all of the families that have taken care of us. They fed us and shuttled us around, housed us in their homes, welcomed us as family, and we’ve become family. One of the best ways to mahalo your family is to cook for them,” said Hōkūleʻa crew member Kaimana Bacarse.
“It’s something that we eat onboard, so they can get a feel of what we’re eating and be a part of our voyage even after we’re gone,” said Maulili Dickson, a crew member and cook on Hikianalia.
And then before dawn, the crew said their goodbyes and headed off for Moʻorea, the first stop in the next leg of the Worldwide Voyage.
[pullquote]“It’s time for us to go. We have the mission of sailing around the world.”[/pullquote]
“It’s time for us to go. We have the mission of sailing around the world. And thank you and we love you all,” said master navigator Kālepa Baybayan.