By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.
Horizon news staff

WE shared the same excitement as that of the hundreds of well-wishers for the voyaging canoes from Hawaii, Hokule’a and the Alingano Maisu, this Sunday at the NECO Marine/Dolphins Pacific Docks and Drop Off Restaurant in Malakal.
Except that several people tried to mess-up with our usual coverage as we wanted to have a better place for a good shot at the oncoming party. But because we get used to these kinds of treatment while doing our job, we saved ourselves, being so flexible all the time, as we sneaked through the not so tight security. Still, we couldn’t get the best position that we wanted it to be. Well, as we always say "that’s part of the job."
At any rate, it was fun seeing the visitors coming with nice anciently crafted boats known as canoes combined with modern technology as well as cellphones and digital cameras brought in by the men and women on board while setting foot to Palau.
What a rare sight, an amazing display of warm welcome shown by the spectators and especially the host country led by the traditional leaders of Palau, Chief Ibeduul and Chief Reklai.
PCC President Patrick Tellei, the designated master of ceremonies greet the visitors in different dialects and languages, including those from the different islands of the Pacific that the voyagers passed by since the start of their long journey from Hawaii on January 24 to the Marshall Islands and FSM.
President Remengesau joined the Hokule’a from Yap on Thursday March 29 on its sail to Palau. The arrival time at the Neco Marine was around 3:30 p.m. The Alingano Maisu came an hour earlier. As early as 6 a.m., people arrived at the site and braved the scorching sun. Around that time, we were lucky to hear from Sen. Alfonso Diaz over the radio that there would be a delay for the arrival.
Gary Kubota, a journalist from the Honolulu star Bulletin who traveled with the Hokule’a, wrote that the crews' main goal in Micronesia is to deliver the Alingao Maisu to Satawal, the home of renowned navigator Mau Piailug, who taught Pacific way-finding to a generation of native Hawaiians and inspired a renaissance in canoe voyaging in Hawaii.
"For the Hawaiian voyaging canoes, the Micronesian islands are part of the reason for the journey, to pay homage to a sister civilization that helped Hawaiians rediscover their ocean navigation tradition. The Hawaiians once built voyaging canoes, but had lost touch with the navigational skills to travel thousands of miles across the Pacific."
Because of its remote location, some islanders in parts of Micronesia, such as Mau, retained the way-finding skills to sail long distances to trade with other islands. Micronesians and Polynesians developed these skills and sailing canoes as they migrated across the Pacific."
"Based on archaeological digs and DNA evidence in the last 15 years, many anthropologists believe the Pacific islands were settled in two major waves of migration, both of them made possible by settlers on sailing canoes."
Kubota noted that the 62-foot-long, double-hulled canoe Hokule'a, similar to voyaging canoes built on the edge of Polynesia, is designed for long-distance ocean voyages and extended sail times of more than a month, if necessary.
"What it lacks in speed compared with sailing canoes found on some Pacific islands it makes up for in stability, endurance and carrying capacity, including 2,500 tons of drinking water and 2,500 pounds of food."
After a three-day stay in Palau, the crew will be back to Yap before completing the journey to Japan and continue their aim of retracing and reaffirming cultural ties.
Cheers for the Polynesian Voyaging Society for initiating such historic voyage. We are looking forward to similar voyages in the future, perhaps from Hawaii to around the Pacific Rim, to Korea, to Japan, China, Taiwan, to the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guineau, Fiji, Solomon Islands to as far as Australia.
While we’re going to the press, a tsunami is reported to hit the Solomon Islands. Let’s all hope that this will not delay the Hokule’a’s voyage back to Yap and finally to its final destination to Japan.