Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia Arrive in Moʻorea, to a Week of Cultural Engagements

Posted July 14, 2025

By PVS Hawaii

Moananuiākea Voyage

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia continued the French Polynesia leg of the Moananuiākea Voyage and 50th birthday celebrations of Hōkūleʻa this past week, sailing from the island of Tahiti to Moʻorea to deepen cultural ties and spark dialogue around ocean protection.

After four days of community engagements in Mataiea, Tahiti, the canoes departed Tehoro Marina on the morning of Thursday, July 10, and made their way across the channel to Moʻorea. They arrived that same day into Opunohu bay, where they were welcomed in a warm and celebratory way at the Papetōʻai dock, where they were greeted by local leaders, including the mayor, and the welcoming embrace of the Moʻorea community.

On Friday, July 11, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia sailed to Paopao Bay on Moʻorea, docking at the tourism office dock. The crews were honored with a humble and heartfelt arrival ceremony, which included a greeting at the pass entrance by the youth of Moʻorea’s traditional canoe Honoura of the ʻAimeho Vaʻa Taʻie organization, symbolizing the generational continuity of voyaging knowledge. Community representatives delivered speeches alongside the mayor of Paopao, and elders offered a traditional song, accompanied by the Tahiti Choir.

That afternoon, the cultural exchange continued at the Atitia Amphitheater, where community members gathered for a Talanoa forum, an open dialogue focused on culture, traditional knowledge, and ocean protection. The central theme of the convening was inspired by the heʻe (octopus), a symbol in Polynesian navigation lore, and centered on Moʻorea’s message to Hōkūleʻa: a call for deepened responsibility to protect the ocean and uphold ancestral values of care and stewardship.

On Saturday, July 12, the crew of both canoes opened the waʻa decks to the Moʻorea community, offering canoe tours and cultural workshops for keiki and families, continuing their mission to inspire the next generation of voyagers and ocean stewards.

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are scheduled to depart Moʻorea on Monday, July 13, returning to Papeʻetē, Tahiti for a brief stay before setting sail for the next port of call: Tautira—a village on Tahiti with profound historical ties to Hōkūleʻa and the voyaging family.