Waʻa (Canoes)

  • Kokololio

    KOA

    "Swift winds of Waikapu" - winds originate from Waikapu, (birthplace of Uncle John Lake's mother) and land in Kahului Harbor - originally carved by Uncle John M. Lake - first canoe of Hawaiian Canoe Club.

  • Pahili Kiu

    KOA

    "Swift winds of Kipahulu" - winds that originates from Kipahulu (where the log for Pahuli Kiu was harvested) wrap around the east end of Maui and ends in Kahului Harbor, where the winds of Kokololio and Pahuli Kiu meet - the home of Hawaiian Canoe Club.

  • Haʻaheo

    RACER

    Wife of Kaiko whom was part of Lihiliho's established household. Also means pride - to cherish with pride - as we should our waʻa.

  • Haʻalou

    RACER

    Wife of Kekaulike, mother of Namahana, grandmother of Kaʻahumanu, aunt of Kamehameha I. She relayed advice from the wise man Kapoukahi to Kamehameha I to build the heiau at Puʻukoholā which would result Kamehameha I's rule over all the islands.

  • Kahekili

    MIRAGE

    Sacred chief of Maui, son of Kekaulike, father of Kamehameha I. He ruled Maui and O'ahu from 1766 to 1790 after the death of Kamehamehanui. A formidable competitor, unbeatable in sports and expert in strategy and leadership as a ruler. He tattooed half of his body black possibly in reference to Kanehekili "kane, god of thunder".

  • Kauwahine

    BRADLEY LIGHTNING

    First and favored wife of Kahekili. A noted wahine warrior. Kahekili and Kauwahine canoes should always be close together as presented by Kahu Keola Lake during the blessing of Kauwahine.

  • Kawaokaʻohele

    LIGHTNING

    Son of Kahekili, name means 'our day of poverty', during his reign Maui was prosperous, had a son named Pi'ilani who married Kelea's daughter Laielohelohe. Piʻilani and Laielohelohe had two children, Piʻikea and Kihapiʻilani.

  • Kealoha

    BRADLEY LIGHTNING

    Named after Auntie Kealoha Lake, who co-founder our club with Uncle John. She used to tell stories of the first races in Kahului Harbor in flat bottom boats. Such were the "old" days of canoe racing.

  • Kekupaʻa

    BRADLEY STRYKER

    Named for Kekupaʻa Naeʻole, one of our former keiki paddlers who has been recognized for his perseverance and positive growth in our Kamaliʻi program.

  • Kekaulike

    BRADLEY STRYKER

    Ruling chief of Maui, descendent of Kamalalawalu. With his half sister Kekuʻiapoiwanui he fathered Kamehamehanui and Kahekili. He was the highest-born royalty of Maui in the 18th century. His rule was of peace and prosperity with the exception of waging war against his cousin Alapaʻinui in support of the chiefs from Kona and Kohala.

  • Keleanohoanaʻapiʻapi

    BRADLEY LIGHTNING

    Surf riding Maui princess, Kahekili daughter, abducted by Kalamakua, cousin of Lo-Lale (an Oʻahu cheif), to be Lo-Lale's wife. Kalamakua sent off in his canoe to Hamakuapoko. There he saw Kelea in the surf break. He invited her to join him in the canoe for surfing. Requiring great skill, she surfed the canoe gallantly onto the beach, again and again. He then restrained her in the canoe and set forth to Oʻahu to meet Lo-Lale. Lo-Lale and Kelea married, had 3 children. They divorced, and she then married Kalamakua, which they had a daughter Laielohelohe, who later married Piʻilani, Kelea's nephew (son of Kawaokaʻohele).

  • Keopuolani

    OC-6

    First wife and niece of Kamehameha I. Born of higher mana (rank) than Kamehameha I, she bore his sons Liholiho (Kamehameha II) and Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III). Partnered with Ka'ahumanu in breaking the tabu of free eating and welcomed the missionaries. She was the first to have her children taught letters and accept the Christian way of life. She was baptized Mary Keopuolani before she died, interned in Lahaina.

  • Keola

    BRADLEY STRYKER

    Named for Marko Kawaiaea who passed in 2004. Marko was deeply loved, admired and respected for his positive and calm manner in and out of the canoe by many paddlers who knew him.

  • Keoni

    BRADLEY LIGHTNING

    Named after our founder Uncle John M. Lake, whom along with his wife Auntie Kealoha, recognized the need of the children in the community to be kept active and started what we now call the Kamaliʻi Program.

  • Namahana

    RACER

    Daughter of Kekaulike and Haʻalou. She was sister and wife of Kamehamehanui until his death. Also mother of Kaʻahumanu and Kaheiheimalie by Keʻeaumoku.

  • Lei o Kaʻahumanu

    MALIA

    Kaʻahumanu, the favored wife of Kamehameha I. She was the regent of Liholiho (Kamehameha II), She followed Keopuolani in accepting Christianity and played a key role in breaking from the kapu system to embrace Christianity.

  • ʻAlanui o Lani

    MIRAGE

    The place where two winds converge in Upcountry, Maui. Meant to remember those who have gone before us. Canoe of Seabury Hall.

  • Kalaʻi o Maunalei

    LIGHTNING

    The peace of Maunalei. Maunalei is the name of Seabury Hall's campus in Makawao. Canoe of Seabury Hall.

  • Kaumualiʻi

    VORTEX

    Built by Mike Giblin in 2012, Kumuali'i is an unlimited canoe weighting only 130 lbs. Kaumualiʻi was the last independent king of the islands of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau before becoming a vassal of Kamehameha I of the unified Kingdom of Hawaiʻi in 1810.

  • Pomaikaʻi

    BRADLEY LIGHTNING

    Means blessed. Belongs to Neighborhood Place of Wailuku which is a non-profit whose mission is to prevent child abuse and neglect by building strong roots in the ʻohana and in the community by promoting safe and nurturing environments for our children and families.

  • Kuana

    Named after Kuana Keaweʻehu, the founder of Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Club on Oʻahu. The waʻa came to HCC through his daughter Kehau Keaweʻehu after Kuana’s death. We honor Kuana by continuing the perpetuation of Hawaiian canoe racing.

  • Kaʻuhane

    MIRAGE

    Meaning "the spirit". Named for Paul Kaʻuhane Luʻuwai, the Head Coach of the Keiki division at HCC for 40 years. His vision, leadership, commitment, passion and spirit continues to lead the club to yearly success.

  • Piʻilani

    VORTEX

    Meaning "divine advancement, heavenly appearance, divine feeling". Piʻilani was a great chief of Maui who set the standard for ruling Maui for aliʻi who followed him. He ruled with longevity, strength and power. This waʻa is special to our fleet. Piʻilani is the son of Kawaokaʻohele for whom another of our racing waʻa was named.

  • Holomua

    BRADLEY LIGHTNING

    Holomua means to "progress, move forward and improve". This waʻa is shared in a partnership with Marina Del Rey Canoe Club from California

  • Keahiokeola (Retired)

    RACER

    Named for Diane L. Ho, a strong continual driving force who has brought Hawaiian Canoe Club to where it is today. Diane is a woman of great resource, strength, and has a deep pride for Hawaiian Canoe Club.

  • Haliaka

    BRADLEY LIGHTNING

Waʻa Name History

In the Hawaiian culture, the giving of a name to anyone or anything is a serious consideration. Our canoes are a life force that are a part of our crews and should be loved, respected and treasured. Names have influence and impact because they have mana; spiritual power, prestige, history, as well as, authority, strength and honor. The names of our canoes have each been carefully chosen in respect for our island ancestors, individuals associated with the spirit of our club and significant winds of Maui.

Both of our koa canoes have been named by members of the Lake family. John M. Lake (our founder) named our first koa canoe Kokololio (Swift winds of Waikapu). The name was given in memory of the birth place of his mother, Mary Kaheiheimalie Enos Lake. Waikapu was an area he knew and loved. The canoe was blessed in August, 1961 at the Lake beach home in Oluwalu by the Rev. Moses Moku of Kaahumanu Church. Kokololio was loaned to Kahului Canoe Club in 1970 to facilitate the formation of Na Kai Ewalu. Kokololio was returned to Hawaiian Canoe Club in 1980. Hawaiian Canoe Club won its first State Championship in 2001 on Kauai exactly forty years after Kokololio was first blessed.

Hawaiian Canoe Club’s second koa is made from a koa tree found by club members Kauhane Luuwai, Sydney Spencer, Marge Kawaiaea, Lee Poston and Dave Carlson in the Kipahulu Rainforest on Kaupo Ranch property in 2001. Various groups of canoe club members had been hiking the forest once a month for eight months looking for a tree large enough to build a canoe from. After the tree was found, club members began the arduous task of preparing for the initial blessing, cutting the tree down and roughly shaping it in the forest. Tahitian canoe builder Fafa was asked to build the canoe. Fafa directed the cutting of the tree and did the initial shaping in the forest. Groups of club members, primarily our keiki, were responsible for carrying necessary equipment, from a staging area graciously donated by Jonathan Starr, miles uphill into the forest. Traditional protocol was followed in the blessing by Kumu Keli’i Tau-a. In July, 2001, over 100 club members undertook the monumental task of bring the roughly shaped canoe down from the forest by hand. Pahili Kiu was completed at the HCC hale by Fafa and his crew.

Pahili Kiu was named by Kumu John Keola Lake (son of John M. Lake) for the wind that wraps around east Maui from Kipahulu to Kahului. Pahili Kiu Makani is the entire name of our koa. It means means literally: blow strong like the Kiu winds. An interpretation provided by Kumu Keola was to hold the course against the Kiu winds. He wrote a chant for the canoe, the words to which are provided below. The canoe was blessed again in a traditional ceremony over a two day period in 2001. Her first race was in Hilo 2001 when Hawaiian Canoe Club won its second State Championship, in a driving rain, to the chanting of Pahili Kiu Makani.

Our fiberglass canoes are led by Keoni and Kealoha, both named after our founders, John and Kealoha Lake. One tradition HCC continues is naming our canoes in honor of Maui ali’i. Knowing our island history through our ancestors provides a sense of place, time, responsibility and respect. We honor Kaahumanu, Namahana, Ha’alou, Kaheiheimalie, Kahekili and Kekaulike. Another tradition is to recognize individuals in the club who represent contribution to our club and continuity of Hawaiian values. Those canoes are Keola, Kamalei, Kekupa’a and Keahiokeola. The canoe Ha’aheo represents the spirit of pride and strength of our club.