Libby takes on Te Nōta to awhi the Hōkūle’a
On Friday, Libby was at Te Tii Marae in Waitangi where the great Ngā Puhi waka taua Ngātokimatawhaorua was paddled out to welcome not only the Hōkūle’a but also Hikianalia back to Tii Bay, Waitangi.
In 1985 the Hawaiian double hulled canoe, the Hōkūle’a, landed in Waitangi and re-ignited a voyaging relationship between the Māori and people of Hawai’i as well as other motu and peoples of Te Moana Nui a Kiwa – the Pacific Ocean.
Both wa’a are on a 43,000-nautical-mile circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean known as the Moananuiākea Voyage.
“For me, it has been a dream to go back to ocean sailing, and so I jumped at the chance to support a Nat Geo documentary team and the Polynesian Voyaging Society (shout out to PVS film unit head and filmmaker at Māoriland Film Festival Justyn Ah Chong) as their NZ Fixer.
It was incredible to see so many wahine as crew, including as captains and navigators on the waka and to see the Kamehameha School’s rangatahi skillfully show the revival of Kanaka song and dance traditions.
I listened deeply to Nainoa Thompson, Hawaiian Master Navigator at the pōwhiri at Te Tii Marae where he spoke lovely of those who had supported him those four decades ago, including Tā Hec Busby and Tā James Henare. He said it was love from all those in the waka world that had helped revive the tradition of voyaging with only the night sky as your guide.
Love is a powerful force – it is up there with time and gravity. Love is something you can’t hold but it is real – just like the stars.” Says Libby.
