The BYU-Hawaii voyaging canoe Iosepa arrived in its new home at the Halau Wa'a O Iosepa in the Polynesian Cultural Center's Hawaiian Village on July 22. PCC, BYUH and the community held a grand opening for the new canoe attraction from June 25-28, but inclement weather and poor sailing conditions delayed the canoe's actual arrival.

"We're so pleased to finally welcome the Iosepa to her new home here at the PCC," said PCC President Von D. Orgill. "Thankfully the crew was able to bring her home safe and sound, and though she missed her welcoming party, we think this new experience is worth the wait. Having the canoe here further illustrates the beauty and magnitude of Polynesian voyaging and how it correlates to the journeys we all take in our lives."

The Iosepa returned to the waters off Hukilau Beach just prior to the Fourth of July holiday, but she needed to be prepared prior to placement in her new home. The crew and select community members helped pull the Iosepa into the new halau; and now that it's in place, she will be cleaned and prepared as part of the Iosepa: Voyage of Discovery display

In addition to the canoe, the unique display also includes daily interactive activities such as learning to navigate using a star compass, knot tying and voyage preparation to provide visitors with a better understanding of the techniques and traditions behind Polynesian voyaging. There are also educational displays and exhibits, a cultural presentation featuring the Polynesian migration story that illustrates how everyone's families are much like the Polynesian voyagers of old, with ancestors journeying to settle in other islands. A guided walking tour around the Iosepa and short video further educates visitors on the purpose, construction and story of the canoe.

Construction of the Halau Wa'a o Iosepa began in November 2007. Donor Mark Willes, Chairman of the Polynesian Cultural Center board of directors, is the primary benefactor of the new halau. The management of the halau is a cooperative effort between the Cultural Center and BYU-Hawaii's Jonathan Napela Center for Hawaiian Language and Cultural Studies, with William K. "Uncle Bill" Wallace III as its director.

The BYUH Hawaiian Studies program commissioned the 57-foot canoe to be built in 2001 out of dakua wood transported from Fiji, under the direction of master carvers Kawika Eskaran and Sione Tuione Pulotu, as a sailing classroom in their ocean resources component. A grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation helped fund the construction of the canoe, along with generous support from PCC board member Ira A. Fulton who was instrumental in funding the canoe's development and ongoing care as well as the overall program. Volunteers from the community, including BYU-Hawaii students, also participated in its construction.

:: For more information on the Halau Wa'a O Iosepa… 

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