Lā 9: Lāpule, Malaki 5
Orongo – Motu Nui – Motu Iti : The Birdman Cult & PVS / Nāhiku Reception
Iorana!
Its been a little over a week since we have departed for our Tahiti/Rapa Nui Adventure. Today was yet another very eventful and busy day. Starting it off perfectly with a great church service at the Holy Cross Catholic Church, visiting the sacred grounds or Orongo, attending the PVS reception, and Kamaile was also able to end the day on board the Hōkūleʻa for an overnight stay. We were able to do so many things today!
We were lucky enough to not only attend the church service of the Holy Cross, but to have been able to experience it in the beautiful Rapa Nui language. Their strong voices and spirit filled the air with man. The church acknowledged and honored our presence in Rapa Nui by allowing us to participate in the ceremony. We joined in the music and we sang Hoʻonani and Hawaiʻi Aloha for the church attendees. It was probably the best we have ever heard Hoʻonani sung. We saw so many familiar faces in church including some of the people who are helping us and providing so much for us here in Rapa Nui. This church service is one that we will never forget.
After one hour at church we drove down to the south side of the island to Orongo. Orongo is the place where the Birdman Cult competition took place. Being apart of the group that researched the Birdman Cult, It was such an amazing experience to see all our research in real life. We saw the islands of Motu Nui, Motu Iti Motu Kaokao, and the different rock houses that the competitors and their families stayed in. We saw Rano Kau crater which is a breathtaking view, and paid our tribute through chants and dance. We even had to be reminded a couple of times to stay off of the grass and keep on the marked trail because of the sacredness of the lands we had set foot upon. The feelings that we felt at Orongo were very upfliting and it reminded us of our own home.
Later on we joined the Polynesian Voyaging Society in hosting a reception at the Tupa Hotel for all of the Rapa Nui leaders who had helped with Hōkūleʻa. We sang and danced and provided ʻawa for everyone. It was a really emotional reception for us because It was our second to the last day in Rapa Nui, but our last day that we would see many of our new friends. The crew was all there and a lot of the people from Anakena and Toki were there. Something that stood out to me is the connection we have to Rapa Nui. We are one ohana.
Kamaile was able to end another amazing day, on board the Hōkūleʻa. Being on the Hōkūleʻa is an experience like no other. Being surrounded by such knowledgable men who have been taught by people like Uncle Bruce and Uncle Nainoa Thompson. We were able to look and learn more about nā hoku in Rapa Nuiʻs sky. Whats really interesting also is that many of the stars we are able to see here in Rapa Nui, we are not able to see in Hawaiʻi located far to the north. One thing that we will always remember from Uncle Kaleo, who is an up and coming navigator taught by Uncle Bruce himself, is that you cannot forget about the past if you want to move towards the future. This one sentence alone is something all of our Poynesian brothers and sisters including ourselves are learning to live by. As we looked at our surroundings, the beautiful sky, the music being sung and played, and just being in this waʻa that has traveled across many nations, we are reminded of how blessed we are. All of these truly amazing experiences could not have been even remotely possible without the one and only Hōkūleʻa.
Its been a little over a week since we have departed for our Tahiti/Rapa Nui Adventure. Today was yet another very eventful and busy day. Starting it off perfectly with a great church service at the Holy Cross Catholic Church, visiting the sacred grounds or Orongo, attending the PVS reception, and Kamaile was also able to end the day on board the Hōkūleʻa for an overnight stay. We were able to do so many things today!
We were lucky enough to not only attend the church service of the Holy Cross, but to have been able to experience it in the beautiful Rapa Nui language. Their strong voices and spirit filled the air with man. The church acknowledged and honored our presence in Rapa Nui by allowing us to participate in the ceremony. We joined in the music and we sang Hoʻonani and Hawaiʻi Aloha for the church attendees. It was probably the best we have ever heard Hoʻonani sung. We saw so many familiar faces in church including some of the people who are helping us and providing so much for us here in Rapa Nui. This church service is one that we will never forget.
After one hour at church we drove down to the south side of the island to Orongo. Orongo is the place where the Birdman Cult competition took place. Being apart of the group that researched the Birdman Cult, It was such an amazing experience to see all our research in real life. We saw the islands of Motu Nui, Motu Iti Motu Kaokao, and the different rock houses that the competitors and their families stayed in. We saw Rano Kau crater which is a breathtaking view, and paid our tribute through chants and dance. We even had to be reminded a couple of times to stay off of the grass and keep on the marked trail because of the sacredness of the lands we had set foot upon. The feelings that we felt at Orongo were very upfliting and it reminded us of our own home.
Later on we joined the Polynesian Voyaging Society in hosting a reception at the Tupa Hotel for all of the Rapa Nui leaders who had helped with Hōkūleʻa. We sang and danced and provided ʻawa for everyone. It was a really emotional reception for us because It was our second to the last day in Rapa Nui, but our last day that we would see many of our new friends. The crew was all there and a lot of the people from Anakena and Toki were there. Something that stood out to me is the connection we have to Rapa Nui. We are one ohana.
Kamaile was able to end another amazing day, on board the Hōkūleʻa. Being on the Hōkūleʻa is an experience like no other. Being surrounded by such knowledgable men who have been taught by people like Uncle Bruce and Uncle Nainoa Thompson. We were able to look and learn more about nā hoku in Rapa Nuiʻs sky. Whats really interesting also is that many of the stars we are able to see here in Rapa Nui, we are not able to see in Hawaiʻi located far to the north. One thing that we will always remember from Uncle Kaleo, who is an up and coming navigator taught by Uncle Bruce himself, is that you cannot forget about the past if you want to move towards the future. This one sentence alone is something all of our Poynesian brothers and sisters including ourselves are learning to live by. As we looked at our surroundings, the beautiful sky, the music being sung and played, and just being in this waʻa that has traveled across many nations, we are reminded of how blessed we are. All of these truly amazing experiences could not have been even remotely possible without the one and only Hōkūleʻa.