Hōkūleʻa, Hikianalia crews reconnect with culture, engage with youth in Mataiea, Tahiti

Crews of traditional voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia resumed their journey through French Polynesia this week, beginning with a meaningful and emotional 4-day stop in Mataiea, Tahiti.

The double-hulled waʻa arrived late the morning of July 6 at Tehoro Marina — somewhat more than a week after their historic arrival June 28 in the waters off the French Polynesian capital of Papeʻetē, Tahiti — entering through the Aifa Pass to a spirited water welcome, this time including a flotilla of Holopuni canoes, personal watercraft and outrigger paddlers.

Traditional cultural protocol dockside affirmed the deep ties between the voyaging crews and people of Mataiea.

The community also welcomed a descendant of the Paoa family: Polynesian Voyaging Society Chief Executive Officer and Hōkūleʻa pwo navigator Nainoa Thompson.

Waʻa crew members and Thompson were escorted inland after the arrival ceremony to the Marae of Apu Terai, the sacred heiau of the Apu Dome Terai Sky. They were hosted by the Faʻaravaianuʻu Cultural Association, which led a powerful homecoming blessing and ceremony for Thompson.

The Apu Terai marae is the ancestral family marae of Thompson’s Paoa lineage.

“It’s a deeply moving homecoming,” Thompson said in a release about the latest leg of the historic voyage, reflecting on the moment as he stood among family and community embraced him as a returning son of the Paoa family line.

The ceremony was filled with oli, pū, speeches and tears of welcome — transforming the arrival of the two canoes into a profound reconnection with ʻohana and place.

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia sailed out July 7 to Motu Ovini, where crews engaged with the SAGA Tahiti program, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to supporting vulnerable and at-risk youth throughout French Polynesia, using sailing, exploration and workshops to uplift and empower them.

Crew members shared stories from their voyage, the lessons of the waʻa and encouraged the keiki through hands-on activities.

Crew participated in a Vaʻa Symposium on July 8 in Mataiea, bringing together voyaging leaders and navigators from around the Pacific to discuss the future of voyaging, Pacificwide collaboration and the role of ancestral knowledge in addressing global challenges.

Participants included Thompson, Hoturoa Kare Barclay from Aotearoa, Tua Pittman from the Cook Islands, members of Fa‘afaite from Tahiti and geologist Éric Parat.

A major highlight of the Mataiea visit was an announcement by Mataiea Mayor Tearii Alpha that the town plans to build its own deep-sea voyaging canoe and open a voyaging school.

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia departed July 10 from Mataiea, heading to the next stop on their 43,000-nautical mile circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean: the island of Moʻorea.

Located just 10 nautical miles northwest of Tahiti, Moʻorea is a part of the Society Islands and the Moʻorea-Maiʻao commune, which includes the smaller Maiʻao Atoll, about 68 nautical miles slightly southwest of Moʻorea.

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia were anchored the afternoon of July 12 in waters off the east side of Cook’s Bay in the Paopao area on Moʻorea’s north shore.

Follow Polynesian Voyaging Society’s social media @hokuleacrew on Facebook and Instagram and visit the society website to track the waʻa live and get the latest updates from the Moananuiākea Voyage.