Wa'a Experience

Throughout my childhood, I've attended many programs that taught me more about my community and ways we could mālama our community. When I was 12 years old, I attended a Kamehameha Summer Program that allowed me to learn about wa'as (canoes). I had a great experience learning about a wa'a named Makali'i. In middle school, I attended another KS Summer program that taught me more about how to read the stars, wind, current, etc. During my high school years, my school would work with the Polynesian Voyage Academy (PVA). They taught me about how we maintain our wa'as in dry dock so our wa'as continue to ride smooth in the water. I also had opportunities to go on other wa'as such as Hokule'a, Hikianalia, and Kanehunamoku. In the summer of 2014, 15 students total from the islands, including myself, and some of the PVA crew members sailed on a boat named Makani Olu to the Northwestern Hawaiian islands, Nihoa and Mokumanamana. After a very meaningful and spiritual experience connecting with my ancestors, I came back home and decided to change my full name to break off from my past and move forward. Hence my name, TearanuimoanaMotumanamana (the big ocean to Mokuamanamana) Hinafa'atafenua (the girl that travels to the island) Kepo'okalani (to rise above). Another thing that I had to ask permission to do was to get a traditional Hawaiian tatau. I learned a lot in my past that helped me become the person and mother that I am today and continue to perpetuate my Hawaiian culture and traditions with my son.