Elia David Ku’ualoha Kawika Kapahulehua was the first captain of the double hulled voyaging canoe, Hokule’a, a teacher of Orero Matuahine (the mother tongue of Ni’i-hau), master seaman, musician and beloved mentor to many students. It has been said of Uncle Kawika, that he was highly instrumental in the resurgence of Hawaiian pride and cultural rebirth, for his successful leadership in sailing the Hokule’a from Hawaii to Tahiti and back, has been seen as a pivotal step in this movement – a feat that had not been performed in the past 600 years. In 1976, when this voyage of significance was undertaken, each of the crew members sailed one leg of the journey, either from Hawaii to Tahiti, or from Tahiti to Hawaii… all except Uncle Kawika. As captain of the wa’a, Uncle felt it was his responsibility to make the round trip from Hawaii to Tahiti and back and was the only crew member to do so.
It has also been said that with so many ey es on this voyage, had he not been successful in this attempt to sail the wa’a in the manner of his ancestors, without sailing instruemtns and relying only on the stars and nature, it si uncertain if the Hawiian people would be feeling the level of dignity and self esteem as they do today. Speaking at Uncle’s memorial services, Nainoa Thompson of the Polynesian Voyaging Society said, “The success of that (first) voyage was crucial to the future of Hokule’a and Kawika was the perfect captain. Its success in finding Tahiti was monumental… In my opinion, the success of that voyage and the crew changed the course of how Hawaiians were seen, which is that they were among the world’s greatest explorers and navigators. The arrival in 1976 brought an enormous sense of pride, dignity and honor to Hawaiian culture, heritage and history, and set the path for perpetuating this pride in children for generations to come.”
That he is not as well known as others who made that voyage and later voyages, is a tribute to Uncle being an unassuming leader of men, who had much inner strength and love for his fellow crew members.
Upon his passing in May 2007, Kalehua Productions decided to establish a scholarship fund in Uncle Kawika’s name, to honor this humble and courageous man. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of their CD, We Are Polynesia, will be set aside in a scholarship fund to benefit students of any ethnic background who wish to study the native languages, customs and culture of Polynesia. This is because although Uncle Kawika was one of the few remaining individuals of pure Hawaiian ethnicity, he loved and encouraged all students in his Hawaiian language classes. To preserve the culture of any civilization, it is important to preserve the language and customs of the people; to keep this information alive and perpetuated by students who love and honor the traditions of their ancestors.