Hawaiʻiloa

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Hawaiʻiloa (alt. Hawaiʻi Loa or Ke Kowa i Hawaiʻi) is a mythical Hawaiian fisherman and navigator who is said to have discovered the island of Hawaiʻi.

Legend

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Hawaiʻiloa was an expert fisherman and navigator who was famous for his lengthy fishing expeditions.

The legend contains reference to his children: Māui (his eldest son), Kauaʻi (son), and Oʻahu (daughter) who settled on the islands that bear their names.^{[citation needed]}

Historical accuracy

The Hawaiʻiloa legend is popular amongst Hawaiians as a realistic Hawaiian origin story that is consistent with modern anthropological and historical beliefs.^{[citation needed]}

However, there is currently little evidence to support its historical accuracy. The story is attested only by 19th-century sources such as Abraham Fornander and Thomas George Thrum, neither of whom provided their sources.^{[citation needed]}

Hawaiʻiloa is also unmentioned by earlier Hawaiian historians such as David Malo. Malo chronicled many Hawaiian origin stories, migration tales, and legends of indigenous origin.^{[citation needed]} Samuel Kamakau tells of an alternate legend that the first man (Kumu-Honua) and woman (Lalo-Honua) were created on Oʻahu.^{[citation needed]}

Canoe

Hawaiʻiloa is also the name of a voyaging canoe, built between 1991 and 1994.^[3] Named after the legendary navigator, the canoe was built for ocean navigation and has sailed internationally. The canoe Hawaiʻiloa is now docked at Honolulu Harbor. It is often sailed on long voyages throughout the Pacific Ocean, studying voyaging techniques used in Ancient Hawaii.

Building

To make the canoe, two Sitka spruce logs were brought to Hawaiʻi from Southeast

Hawaiʻiloa is 57 feet (17 m) long, with a beam of 19 feet (5.8 m). She has two sails, each of 240–420 square feet (22–39 m²). She was initially launched in July 1993, and subsequently modified in dry dock before being re-launched a year later.[3]

Voyages in 1995

In 1995, Hawaiʻiloa sailed her maiden voyage to

• Hawaiki
• Hawaiian religion
• Hōkūleʻa
• Polynesian navigation
• Polynesian Voyaging Society

References