Nā Loea: The Masters | Jerry Ongies: Hawaiʻiloa – Rebuilding the Legend

While the ancient art of non-instrument navigation has been rekindled throughout Polynesia, the knowledge of canoe building has been largely forgotten except for a select few artisans. Following in the wake of her sister canoe Hōkūleʻa, the Hawaiʻiloa canoe was hulled from two spruce logs gifted from the tribes of Alaska to prove the ingenuity of traditional building and voyaging techniques. But with the passing of her original builder – Wright “Wrighto” Bowman – Hawaiʻiloa was left to wait for another master craftsman. With a steady hand and unwavering dedication, Jerry Ongies is breathing new life into one of Hawaiʻi’s most storied sailing canoes.