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Micronesian canoe carvers keep tradition alive through their craftsmanship

Krista Rados
/
HPR
Plasito Eselugupi of Yap arrives at Kualoa Beach. Canoes from at least 25 Pacific nations were showcased during the Wa‘a Arrival Ceremony.

Canoes from at least 25 Pacific nations and territories arrived on the shores of Kualoa Beach during a private Waʻa Arrival Ceremony on Wednesday morning.

The event is part of the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, which begins today. It's the largest celebration of Pacific Islanders, bringing cultural practitioners and artists from across the Pacific Ocean to showcase their culture.

The canoes embody the heritage of Pacific Islanders and their abilities to navigate vast oceans, with regions including Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia.

But Micronesia has a long history of carving outrigger canoes, as artisans have kept the tradition alive.

Plasito Eselugupi of Yap carved the canoes CHecHemeni and Yalen.
Cassie Ordonio
/
HPR
Plasito Eselugupi of Yap carved the canoes CHecHemeni and Yalen.

Plasito Eselugupi of Yap is a carver who made two outrigger canoes, named ChecHemeni and Yalen, out of an Albizia tree. He said the canoes, together, translate to "remember the road to your culture."

Eselugupi said it's his first time attending FestPAC.

"We're going to share our knowledge with everybody else. We are in the Pacific Ocean, so we have to help each other," he said.

Some Pacific Islanders still rely on traditional hand-carved wooden canoes for travel and food gathering. As their ancestors did for thousands of years, Islanders used the sun, stars, wind, birds and ocean currents to navigate.

But Mario "Sakman" Borja said he grew up during a period when there was a significant shortage of canoes in the Mariana Islands. It wasn't until his grand-uncle told him the history of canoes that he realized their absence.

"I did not know my history because, in grade school and beyond, I learned more about the Niña, the Pinta and Santa Maria," he said. "Nothing was discussed about the canoes of our ancestors."

Mario Borja is a Chamorro Carver who brought life to the canoe named Che‘lu.
Cassie Ordonio
/
HPR
Mario Borja is a Chamorro carver who brought life to the canoe named Che‘lu.

Borja is a Chamorro, or CHamoru, carver with roots in Guam and Saipan. He said he was humbled and inspired by Hōkūleʻa, the Polynesian Voyaging Society's double-hulled voyaging canoe.

His canoe is named Che'lu, which means sibling in the Chamorro language. It was carved in 2011 and is made of Redwood trees from California. The canoe is about 47 feet tall.

However, due to a lack of wood, Borja said canoe makers have been using fiberglass to build canoes. He hopes that, like how the Hōkūleʻa inspired him, Che'lu can influence other Pacific Islander carvers and navigators.

"To me, I find it my sacred duty to tell this story, to help our people understand and appreciate who we are, to find re-identity with our people," he said. "We're not just Chamorros from the Mariana Islands. We were canoe builders. We were sailors and navigators."

Cassie Ordonio is the culture and arts reporter for Hawaiʻi Public Radio. Contact her at cordonio@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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