Aloha kakou!
Chris here.
When Keʻili and I were deciding on what we would name the canoe, she was staying home caring for her mother, and I was helping a freind voyage to Nuku Hiva. We were able to communicate over a rare starlink connection thousands of miles apart. To the west-southwest, a familiar bright star began to nestle into its place on the sea. At home, this star reached around five hand distances above the southern horizon. Each night closer to south polynesia, the star began to reach higher and higher overhead reminding me how far i was traveling from Ke’ili. We were two thousand nautical miles apart gazing at the same light. I knew the name of this star was ʻAʻā, but what what I didn’t know, was how it would influence our lives.
One definition of the word ʻAʻa
means to challenge yourself or to burn brightly. As this canoe made its way into our lives, so did challenges. On a dark may night, Keʻiliʻs sweet mom Illa voyaged from this life to the next. Our paths are full of storms, some with unimaginable winds of change. A bright, positive light saying, “keep looking up”. Hōkūhoʻokelewaʻa (canoe guiding star) was written as the ancient name for ʻAʻā. Momma Illa was a canoe steers woman and positive warrior whose legacy is written across our sea and sky. As life on ʻAʻā began to take place, we were full of heartache, financial debt and uncertain about the future. So, this is way-finding.
The art of a waʻa kaulua is that in which two hulls grace forward, propelled by balance and aerodynamics. As ʻAʻā continues to enhance relationship to the sea, relationship improvement to one another is evermore relevent. Keʻili and I continue to witness how important it is for one side of the vessel to not overweight the other. Sailing shows how important it is to show up for each other in all reaches of life. We are like children again, learning how to exist in this wind powered world. Itʻs an ongoing learning of optimal points of sail, anchoring safety, sustainability, marine protocal and most importantly love.
Mahalo nui for reading this week!
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