Hōkūleʻa crew members arrived Monday to be reunited with the Tautira community in French Polynesia, or Māʻohi Nui. The double-hulled canoe has been anchored by an open lot named after it.
Captain Kaleo Wong said it felt like returning to family.
“Sailing to Tautira is like sailing to Hāna,” he said. “The scenery is kind of the same. There's a lot of water around here. It's all green. There's beautiful cliffs right next to the ocean. The people are so welcoming and lovely, and take us in as their family."
It's been more than 60 days since Hōkūleʻa and the safety vessel Hikianalia left Hilo to embark on the Moananuiākea voyage.
Tautira is located on the southeast coast of Tahiti. It's a small village that has been a home for Hōkūleʻa since its first voyage in 1976.
“The beauty of the lands is reflected in the beauty of the people, and the abundance of the land is reflected in the abundance of the people,” Wong said.
Tautira also has a strong wa’a community. There are no big sailing canoes, but there are smaller outrigger canoes that kids as young as 6 years old use to sail and paddle.
“We see them and their kids still paddling today, all day, mornings, evenings, every day, and we get the opportunity to paddle with them as well,” Wong said.
Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will depart from Tautira and head to Bora Bora this week, depending on weather conditions. The canoes will continue on to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.
