Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 8, 1 August 1999 — SUMMER OF DISCOVERY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SUMMER OF DISCOVERY

" yvi: EĒ^Km For two weeks in the summer, forty students of the Nā Pua Noeau Kupulau Institute, learned about sailing, marine science and themselves

By Jayson Harper Ka'ūpūlehu Bay, Big lsland - Wednesday 5:43 p.m. fORTY TEENAGERS stand on the shore practicing a 'aiha'a chant written by Keli'i Tau'ā for the Makali'i, a working replica of an ancient Hawaiian sailing eanoe, funded in part with a $85,000 grant from OHA. The teenagcrs are part of the Universitv of Hawai'i*s. Nā Pua No'eau Kupulau Summer Tnstitute that introduces them to navigation and the marine sciences, using the Makali'i as a floating class- - room. Greg Akoni. 20, a formerNā Pua No'eau graduate, leads the chant. Clay Bertelmann. chief navigator and creator of the Makali'i. presides over the group. Bertelmann looks toward the setting sun, perhaps reflecting on a

!ife that has taken him from the battle fields of South East Asia to remote Pacific islands. His skin is seawom — bumed, blistered, salty and dry; his long salt-and-pepper hair is pulled into a ponytail. His large build commands attention; his knowledge commands respect. The Makali'i rocks in the waters off Ka'ūpūlehu Bay. The palms on the beach swing, the sound of their fronds is background for the echoes of the rising ehanL Unele Clay, as he is affectionately

known, comments on the timing of the chant. He follows up quickly with praise. After a few f>ointers on concentration from Akoni, the students perform the chant flawlessly. Unele Clay walks up to the students, takes off his tinted eyeglasses and, his grey eyes gleaming, says, "You guys are da bomb." The students empt in laughter. Established at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo in 1989, and partially funded with $275,000 from OHA, Nā Pua No'eau works to raise the educational achievemenLs of Native Hawaiian children. The program's mission is to discover, then draw upon, the strengths and talents within eaeh child. "Our programs are rooted in Hawaiian culture, we work with the children's families to give the children the confidence they need to make good choices for the future," said Ka'ōhua Lucas, statewide publicity coordinator for Nā Pua No'eau. Nā Pua No'eau uses a broad approach in aiding Hawaiian children with their education, incorporating the things that make them unique as Hawaiians. "Some kids just don't adapt to the Westem model of education. They need to draw upon other skills that they already possess in order to succeed," said Kamuela Kala'i of Nā Pua No'eau. The students range in age from 13-16 and eome from all the islands. To the outside observer, the students in the program appear to have established friendships. Most of

~~ these bonds, however, are ereated over the course of the institute. To understand the camaraderie that develops, look no further than Clay Bertclmann. "When we leave this island to go voyage long distance, the eanoe becomes our island, so you have to take care of everybody and everything on the eanoe,"

M w said Bertelmann, who applies this philosophy to the young people he works with on land and sea. "The navment for me is when I see the

light in their eyes when they do something, or the satisfaction of seeing the father hug his son for the first time in five or six years and seeing the beginning of a relationship that never existed before." Thursday — 6:45 a.m. After a night under the stars accompanied by laughter, singing and the occasional snoring fits, the students and crew wake to a beautiful sunrise and the smell of bacon, eggs and homemade banana pancakes. Sitting on the coral wall that surrounds the perimeter of the camping area are Joseph Valentine of Lā'ie, O'ahu and Kella Ahuna of Mililani, O'ahu. Eager to start the day, they bustle with the kind of

encrgy only two young boys could have at 6 a.m. "Being out on the oeean and sailing is so mueh fun," said Valentine. Joseph and Kella both hope to retum to the Kupulau Institute as students and someday as instmctors. "I've leamed so mueh about my culture. sailing and the environment," said Ahuna. "Sailing was something I wanted to do for a long time. I've done hula. paddled eanoe and done a lot of things that put me in touch with my culture and my ancestors. But ; doing this is one of the highest things my ancestors thought one could do," said Akoni. Akoni's unique perspective makes him a valuable asset to the program. "I ean relate to 1 where these kids are coming from because I've been there, I know what there going through, I know how they feel," he said. 8a.m.

The Makali'i leaves for Kawaihae harbor. The students quickly take their staI tions, preparing the eanoe for | the trip. The bow is a frenzy

| of activity. Akoni watches as ; three students pull in the mooring lines. Suddenly a line gets snagged on the coral. Befbre anyone realizes the line is caught, someone dives into the water and unsnags it. The eanoe then gets under- | way without a hitch. Onee on | the open oeean the students j: rotate stations. Ahuna, along with several other students, takes up the steering. The most distinguishing

I leature of the Makali'i is its twin hoe uli (steering pad- : dles). Steering the Makali'i | requires strength and teamwork. Eaeh paddle requires at least four people to maneuI ver- ; Two hours off the Kona coast — noon

Students use this time to relax, Some prepare luneh on the canoe's gas buming stove. Finding a eool spot under the shadow of the sails, some students sing and laugh, while others drift in and out of sleep. Standing at the stem of the eanoe, Unele Clay stares out at the horizon as he gives orders to bring in the sails. The students huddle around him, attentive to his instruction. By 3:30 p.m. the barren landscape of Kawaihae harbor comes into focus. As the Makali'i nears its final destination, a sense of sadness pervades the deck. Students hug eaeh other or cry silently while they elean the eanoe. The voyage has ended and the lessons in discipline, teamwork and patience have been leamed. ■

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Above top right: Clay Bertelmann, chief navigator and creator of Makali'i. Above: Nā Pua No'eau students work and piay.

PHOTOS; JAYSOH HARP£I?