Sailing Through Papahānaumokuākea: A journey through Põ

I’m currently typing this as I sail through Papahānaumokuākea, listening to Hawaiian music. Papahānaumokuākea is a protected Marine National Monument, and one of the largest marine sanctuaries on the planet. For those that are unaware of this channel, it is said that after sailing past Mokumanamana, we are entering the realm of Pō, or the realm of the afterlife. Mokumanamana and Nihoa are the two islands at the beginning of the sail that still have Hawaiian archaeological sites and heiau (ceremonial places of worship). There are 33 heiau and 52 archaeological sites on Mokumanamana. The heiau are said to be the highest power of ceremonial sites throughout the Hawaiian archipelago. Mokumanamana translates to “the island of much power.”

I’m doing this sail with the NOAA Monk Seal Research team, and I was so fortunate to share this experience with another Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian). Kamuela Grace stood out with his Polynesian sleeve and radiated energy. I struck up a conversation with him and found out we were ‘ohana through marriage. This connection felt much more symbolic because my hānai uncle (adopted/chosen family), Uncle Clyde -whose mother is a Grace- has told me stories about his papa who was a canoe builder, and his mother who was a weaver on the Kona side of Hawaiʻi Island. This uncle has been my father figure in my adult life. He married into my family and has shared stories about my great-grandmother, great-grandfather, and my grandma and grandpa. He and his wife, who I call Aunty Donna, have been my main support system and ‘ohana (family) on Hawaiʻi Island, especially after losing my great-aunty Zelinda Luna, who was his mother-in-law. I recently met his grandson Kainalu, who is a male version of me - literally (love you cuz) -who is actually a distant cousin to me and Kamuela through his mother, who was Zelinda Luna's daughter. Still following?

When Kamuela told me his great ancestor was a canoe builder, I knew it was somehow fate that we were connecting. We spent the next few days on the ship listening to Hawaiian music, watching the sunsets together, kiloʻing (watching) nature and looking for all the hō‘ailona (ancestral signs), chanting, and talking for hours under the mahina (moon). There was even a day where there were several wa‘a (canoes) in the form of clouds following us.  I captured one photo whose cloud formations were just starting to change, still, you can see the people to the left waving to the canoe to the right as they sail into the realms.

We talked about the importance of having more Kanaka (persons/Hawaiians) in these spaces, and the spiritual journey that we were somehow in parallel embarking on. I hope that any Hawaiian or Islander who has the opportunity to sail through Papahānaumokuākea gets to share this experience with someone who shares the DNA - and/or someone who understands the cultural and spiritual significance of this journey through Pō.

I’ve been fortunate enough to go to Lalo/Kānemilohaʻi (French Frigate Shoals), and Kapou/Papa‘āpoho (Lisianski). Lalo was beautiful and covered with birds - but there were traces of destruction and rubbish left behind by the military. Kapou was absolutely stunning, with pristine blue waters and thriving wildlife. However, it was also full of rubbish, microplastics, commercial fishing nets, toys, and other trash all along the sand surrounding the monk seals and wildlife. It made me sad to think that even the islands that haven’t been desecrated by the military are still covered in rubbish. To think that some of the most culturally significant and untouched places are still surrounded by trash deeply upsets me.

Tomorrow we get to Hōlanikū. I'm still not certain what to expect - living in complete isolation for up to a year with four other people, all of whom I’ve never met. I’m already learning a lot about myself. I'm trying to go into this experience with no expectations. It is just the beginning of my rites of passage. I can only imagine how rooted and grounded I will come out of this experience in a year, after living so closely to nature.  Aloha nō - Kalani Garcia 07/09/2025

1 comment

Hope your journey is awesome and fills you with happiness 💕

Barbara Garcia

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