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Somewhere, under the Anuenue Nearly 13 years ago, we printed our vision of a Canoe Center at Sand Island. An ideal location right across from the historic Mokauea Fishing Village. Clean waters and easy access to the ocean; It would be a gathering place for things related to the outrigger canoe, paddling, voyaging and teamwork. - read more

A request to our Governor

Who's in the canoe? 

As a sport, paddling does a lot for the individual and the community. There are many people and organizations who, through the canoe, want to show that our cultural treasures and customs are still meaningful in today's high-paced world. I went down to a canoe festival at Kualoa Beach Park to find some of these teachers at work, demonstrating ancient skills and inspiring others to carry this knowledge forward.

A Kaneohe Charter school, Hakipu'u Learning Center (HIC), takes their students to the Hakipu'u ahupua'a at Kualoa Beach Park to learn about sailing canoes, navigation, Hawaiian culture and history. Hakipu'u, was traditionally a learning center for training and nurturing the kahuna who would preserve and pass that knowledge on for the good of the community and future generations. The HIC school board plans to create an education center there at the park to help teach and prepare their students through a sailing canoe program (see page 22).

The Puakea Foundation also has plans for an education center at He'eia State Park. Bobby Puakea has been given permission to build a canoe halau (a covered shed) to continue his work; fixing/restoring canoes and teaching others who want to learn the skill of canoe repair and paddle making (see page 24).

It was good to see that the City and County (with our tax dollars) was helping to support the Kualoa/Hakipu'u Canoe Festival. What can our elected officials do next? Let's talk about a Paddler's Museum — by the ocean would be nice. Do you remember 'All Star Hawaii' a sports bar in Waikiki? In 2001 it had the only paddling museum in Hawaii which offered a historical overview of canoe paddling in Hawaii. The museum was also available for after-race awards (and party) and club fund-raisers. They even provided a 'Paddlers Card' for 15-percent-off merchandise along with drink and 'pupu' specials— now that's showing the paddlers some love (aloha).