Hokule’a’s Symbolic Wake Essay Example for Free

Hokule’a’s Symbolic Wake Essay In 1976, the Hokule’a began her maiden voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti as little more than a double-haul canoe with an astoundingly religious construction. Though her size can be compared to just that of one of the Titanic’s life boats (at just 60 feet), her message is much more profound and the cultural path significant indeed. To the people of Hawaii, the building of a canoe isn’t just wood, sweat, and able axe work. In fact, that’s the least of what comprises the construction of a voyaging canoe. Turns out, for Hawaiians, the building of such a canoe like the Hokule’a is a deeply religious experience and is only attempted by master builders who understand the creed that â€Å"every canoe began with a prayer and a dream† (Friends of Hokule’a and Hawai’iloa). As the story goes, â€Å"before the canoe builder began he first prepared a pig, a red fish and a black fish and offered them to the gods† (Friends). After that, â€Å"the carver went home and invited dreams in his sleep. If the dreams were good he would go to the forest the next day. But if they were unfavorable, a tree would not be cut† (Friends). It is through this experience, every time a canoe is to be built, that the Hawaiians believe the canoe gains its spirit. And without this ritual, the canoe would be little more than wood floating on water and a significant part of the culture would be lost. It is that very fear that prompted the establishment of the Friends of Hokule’a and Hawai’iloa in 1996 â€Å"by master canoe builder, Wright Bowman Jr. , who was concerned that the art of canoe building would be lost†¦[and to ensure] that the traditional canoe building skills be made accessible to any who are interested in learning† (Friends). Originally, the Hokule’a was set out on a mission to prove that there was much to discover in and around Polynesia and has in the past thirty one years visited as far as New Zealand and Easter Island (Honolulu Advertiser). Her first trips could be compared to that of Christopher Columbus because though they were not backed by the crown and the Hawaiians had a much better sense of direction, the motive for discovery was fueled by the interests. That to know and understand the seas around them. In truth, â€Å"Polynesia began with the voyaging canoe. More than three thousand years ago, the uninhabited islands of Samoa and Tonga were settled by a seafaring people† (Friends). Moreover, using only small voyaging groups in canoes, â€Å"they continued to discover new lands as they explored eastward. Long before ocean exploration by Europeans, the early Polynesians had mastered boat building and navigation† (Friends). And, in an ironic twist, while the Hokule’a may be considered a deeply religious masterpiece, she is nearly completely modernized and outfitted with a navigational system laughed at and â€Å"rejected by European analysts† (Honolulu Advertiser). It could be concluded, here, that while the Europeans believed they had the golden ticket to sea discovery, the Polynesians (and modern Hawaiians) had an innate sense and skill for the activity as well. Hawaiians kept the culture of boat building firmly within their veins, and like any other people with a successful history, used the same methods of travel to do so, even initiating the growing mission of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, â€Å"now altered from one of discovery to education [as they now use] the canoe as a platform to excite Hawaii’s children about learning [about] their environment and culture† (Friends). The deep history of the Hokule’a helps build this platform as well as any cultural epicenter of a civilization, but the fact that the canoe remains on the open water (barring hurricanes or nasty tsunamis, of course) serves to perpetuate the desire to retain the Hokule’a as a cultural icon better than any fireside fable ever could. In fact, a new canoe was even born from the craftsmanship and lore of the Hokule’a, the Hawai’iloa, in 1991 which demonstrated, on a spiritual and traditional level, the profound importance of the Hokule’a’s first voyage. It is said that â€Å"these magnificent canoes tell the story of the lives and travels of the crewmembers and builders who worked them. The spiritual power, mana, of the canoes is preserved with the skilled hands of master canoe builders† (Friends). The Hokule’a has even done much for pioneering programs to get children interested in education, navigation, and sea discovery through the efforts of the Polynesian Voyaging Society (Honolulu Advertiser). In the last few years, programs like the non-profit Aloha Medical Mission have combined forces with the Polynesian Voyaging Society to bring healthcare to Micronesia (KHNL 8). Moreover, if the Hokule’a continues to voyage across the seas in discovery and efforts of education, only the spirit of the canoe could guess at the cultural symbolism left in her wake. What began as a voyaging expedition three thousand years ago can now be seen as one of the single most religious and cultural experiences of Hawaii as the Hokule’a spreads her mast and travels the islands with the ease of any modern European vessel. Works Cited Friends of Hokule’a and Hawai’iloa. â€Å"Our Legacy. † Accessed June 14, 2007. http://fhh-hawaii. org/legacy. shtml Honolulu Advertiser. â€Å"Hokule’a Forced to Delay Voyage. † News, August 30, 2003. http://the. honoluluadvertiser. com/article/2003/Aug/30/ln/ln09a. html KHNL 8. â€Å"Hawaii Doctors Partner with Hokule’a, Bringing Healthcare to Micronesia. † News, February 19, 2007. http://www. khnl. com/Global/story. asp? S=6104556