The 2014 ‘Imiloa Wayfinding &Navigation Festival sponsored by Matson on Oct. 11 began with a simple story of ohana wa‘a, the countless connections created as a result of the 140,000 nautical miles Hokule‘a has traveled during 39 years of its
The 2014 ‘Imiloa Wayfinding &Navigation Festival sponsored by Matson on Oct. 11 began with a simple story of ohana wa‘a, the countless connections created as a result of the 140,000 nautical miles Hokule‘a has traveled during 39 years of its lifetime.
Celeste Manuia Ha‘o, festival director, made reference to the importance of knowing one’s own familial connections as she set the day’s theme, “Moananuiakea: Retracing Ancestral Connection” with her inspirational story titled “Seeking Samoa: A Taupou’s Voyage Home.”
Ha‘o was bestowed with the highest title a woman can have in Samoa’s traditional society — that of “taupou,” someone responsible for looking after the well-being of her village — at the age of 17.
A Hilo native and apprentice navigator, she recounted the heartbreak and triumph of her epic return to Faleapuna, her village of Samoa.
Each activity and event during the festival resonated this theme of connection.
More than 1,000 visitors participated in the day’s presentations and activities celebrating the “Spirit of the Sea.”
