September 4, 2023 | Leg 7, Day 3.

Over the past few days we were graciously hosted by community leaders from Kīkaha o ke Kai Canoe Club and Keʻala ‘o Kamālielauliʻiliʻi in Tacoma, Washington. As a crew-member who was fortunate to engage with these Wakinekona communities from Hawaiʻi, it was special to see and feel that even being away from Hawaiʻi, I didn’t ever feel like we left home. They constantly made sure we were well-fed, sustained and helped us with the maintenance of Hōkūleʻa and Kōlea, our escort boat.

Along with engaging with many of our ʻohana up here, I was also struck with a sense of sadness to know that many of our people from Hawaiʻi have left the islands to pursue other economic opportunities to sustain their ʻohana in other lands. However, it is with constant reassurance to know that they still carry Hawaiʻi in their hearts and minds wherever they go, including with us, the crew of Hōkūleʻa.

We mahalo our indigenous ʻohana from the Puyallup tribe that have allowed us to be in their ancestral homelands.

Mahalo to Foss Waterways for allowing Hōkūleʻa to use the dock space.

Mahalo to Junior, Sui-Lan & Pono, Kumu Kamaile, Kanae, Uncle Bu and the many hands that have displayed their aloha in Tacoma.

– Kaiwi Hamakua-Makue