Shared tradition

Small in area. Large in historical significance.

The ahupua‘a of Hakipu‘u can be easily missed when driving between Kaneohe and Kualoa, district names that are more familiar. Even neighboring Waiahole is better known to most, courtesy of Bruddah Waltah’s classic song "Sweet Lady of Waiahole."

But Hakipu‘u is legendary in its sacredness and specialness. It is where, according to oral tradition, the navigator Kaha‘i a Ho‘okamali‘i landed upon his return trip from Tahiti centuries ago, planting the first ulu (breadfruit) trees.

It is where the voyaging canoe Hokule‘a was launched, sliding down a coconut log ramp and into Kaneohe Bay in 1975.

It is where sailing canoes continue to honor Kaha‘i by lowering their sails, a long tradition that counts Kamehameha the Great among those who have paid their respects.

And it is where the perpetuation of the area’s importance in Polynesian voyaging will continue Saturday with the fifth Kualoa/Hakipu‘u Canoe Festival at Kualoa Regional Park. The free Department of Parks and Recreation City & County of Honolulu-sponsored event features educational booths and canoe repair demonstrations by master canoe builder Bobby Puakea, as well as sailing and double-hull canoe rides.

Several of the sailing canoes are from Hawaiian Ocean Adventures, which is co-owned and operated by Nakoa Prejean and runs ocean activities at the Disney Aulani Resort and on Kaneohe Bay. A native Hawaiian, Prejean taught Polynesian navigation at Windward Community College, was part of the crew aboard voyaging canoe Makali‘i on her maiden voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti and the Marquesas, and continues to build canoes in his Hakipu‘u workshop.

"For me as a Hawaiian this is an important part of our culture," Prejean said of canoe paddling, building and sailing. "It’s something I’ve done for a long time with my family, something that was passed down to me, the idea to get out on the ocean and play. It’s what we enjoyed growing up.

"It’s a way to perpetuate our culture. It’s a great way to give back, to share what we love to do."

Prejean said that it is gratifying and fulfilling to be able to share the ocean with those who come to the festival, some of whom have never had the chance to be on the water.

"This isn’t just people from the mainland who happen to come but it’s the local people, too," he said. "When you live on an island, you think everyone has been in a canoe or been on the water. It’s really amazing to think that, having the ocean such an integral part of our lives growing up, there are some people who don’t even know how to swim.

"Having the festival here is so appropriate and allows the public to experience it. It recognizes the importance and significance of the area for canoes. It’s a great community event and City & County does a great job of bringing diverse water people together as a perpetuation of the culture."

While it is a business the rest of the year, "it’s not why we do this," Prejean said. "There’s a lot of different aspects of Hawaiian culture that are more prevalent and shared, such as hula, music and chants. We’ve been fortunate that our passion has grown into a business which allows us to share the long tradition of canoes and ocean people from this area."

"We’ve been involved with the festival since its first year, and every year it gets bigger and better," said Terry Galpin, Prejean’s business and life partner of 18 years. "It’s perpetuating the culture and introducing different aspects of the community to people who would never have an opportunity to experience otherwise, especially sailing canoes.

"Most people have no idea about the sacredness of the area. This is where Hokule‘a was born, where the alii lived. For us, it’s about being able to give back to the community. And I think it’s very important that people can experience what Nakoa is doing, learn the Hawaiian culture from a Hawaiian. It is a business that grew out of a passion."

It wasn’t hard to add eco-tours to the company’s activities.

"We’re able to educate about the traditional practices, conceptual ideas like the ahupua‘a system," Prejeans said. "We share how sustainability was a big part of traditional Hawaii. A thousand years ago, the fishponds were all about sustainability. All these ideas are coming back into vogue. It’s been rewarding to be able to offer educational tours that are historically and authentically Hawaiian."

As much as Prejean wants to use traditional materials when building a 45-foot canoe, the cost of a koa log — $80,000-$120,000 — makes it prohibitive. His newest unlimited class sailing canoe will be named, blessed and launched Easter Sunday, a hybrid where the sailing apparatus will be easily removed when converting to a conventional six-man outrigger canoe. It will have an electric bailer that runs on a small lithium battery with a solar charger panel.

"Even though all of our canoes are built out of modern materials, they all carry a spirit of Hawaii, of Polynesia, of Oceania and the tradition of voyaging," Prejean said. "We are continuing the traditions of the area, which holds so much significance. Still to this day when we come in, we dip or close up our sails to pay our respects to the navigators and the voyaging canoes that came before."