October 03, 2014
Hokulea’a returning to Aotearoa
Preparations are being made for the return of Hokulea’a to our shores, almost 40 years after the double-hulled canoe first sparked the revival of Polynesian ocean voyaging.
Hawaii resident Rex Mawae Morton from Ngati Tuwharetoa, who is part of the advance team, says under captain Nainoa Thompson it’s currently in PagoPago, American Samoa getting ready for the next leg of the journey to Aotearoa via Tonga.
It will spend summer in New Zealand waters before continuing on what is intended as a voyage around the globe which started in Hawai’i last year.
"We took the canoes around all our communities and what we really wanted to do was get their tautoko for the kaupapa of sailing aroiund the world and by doing that advocating about ocean issues for the Pacific and ocean issues for everyone really," Mr Morton says.
The Hokulea’a is expected at the waka school at Aurere in early November and on to Waitangi for a full powhiri mid-month.
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com