Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia pause, pack and prepare in Papeʻetē before sailing to Cook Islands

Polynesian Voyaging Society traditional double-hulled voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia have been back in Papeʻetē, Tahiti, since departing Moʻorea on July 14, taking time to rest, replenish and ready for their next leg of their epic Moananuiākea Voyage.

While in the French Polynesian capital, crews conducted a deep clean of both canoes, emptied the hulls and undertook a detailed inventory and repair effort to ensure the vessels are seaworthy and well-prepared for the upcoming portion of the 43,000-nautical-mile circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean, which will take them to the Cook Islands.

These critical maintenance efforts reflect the care, discipline and mālama that sustain the waʻa across thousands of miles of open ocean.

The stop also marked a transition from Leg 13 (Papeʻetē-Mātaiea-Moorea-Papeʻetē) to Leg 14 (Papeʻetē-Tautira-Bora Bora-Rarotonga), which also meant a crew rotation.

The leg 14 crew will guide the canoes to their next stop: the storied village of Tautira on Tahiti.

Tautira, Hōkūleʻa and the Polynesian Voyaging Society have a deeply rooted connection.

The community hosted the canoe and her crew many times throughout the past 49 years, and the upcoming visit will honor and continue that legacy of friendship, family, cultural exchange and shared commitment to voyaging traditions.

A celebration in honor of Hōkūleʻa’s 50th birthday is planned for July 28, hosted by the Tautira community.

During Leg 13’s stay on Tahiti, the Tautira ʻohana drove more than 3 hours — three to four times during the week to Papeʻetē and Mātaiea — to bring food, water and ice to the crews.

Since the Leg 13 crew is leaving Tahiti before next week’s celebration, they were invited and hosted by the Tautira community for a visit last week to meet the families and learn more about the history of this special place.

As the crews drove by car from Papeʻetē to Tautira, they made meaningful stops along the way including at a marae in Papara and a waʻa racing monument.

Parts of the Tautira day trip were emotional, as the crew also visited a tombstone in honor of late pwo navigator Kalepa Baybayan, where some of his ashes were laid to rest in the village that meant so much to him.

Nearby, the crew also visited a pohaku, placed by late Hōkūleʻa crew member Kealoha Hoe.

“The aloha from the kind people of Tautira is something that humbles us to our core,” said Leg 13 Hōkūleʻa Capt. Jonah Apo in an update about the canoe’s most recent stop. “Week after week, members of this community would drive more than 3 hours just to bring us food, share music and simply spend time with us while we were in port at Papeete and Mātaiea. They didn’t have to, but they always did because that’s who they are.”

He said it isn’t just hospitality the community was showing, it was the expression of its values and continuation of nearly half a century of a deep connection between Hōkūleʻa and the families of Tautira.

“We are forever grateful,” Apo said.

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are scheduled to depart July 28 from Papeʻetē for Tautira, weather permitting.

Their next two ports of call following the Tautira stop are Bora Bora and then Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

The Moananuiākea Voyage aims to ignite a movement of cultural and environmental stewardship, youth leadership and community resilience.

Learn more at the Polynesian Voyaging Society website.

Follow Polynesian Voyaging Society @hokuleacrew on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates about the voyage. You can also track the progress of the wa’a on a live tracking map and get updates on the society’s website.