Women connect with their Hawaiian culture in ‘Olympics’ of outrigger canoe racing

Moloka’i, Hawai’i— It’s dawn on the Hawaiian island of Moloka’i, and the sun is rising on 48 outrigger canoes lined up on the sand of Hale O Lono harbor.

Hundreds of women from around the world have gathered for a race called Nā Wāhine O Ke Kai – or “Women of the Sea” – 41 miles across the Kaiwi Channel to O’ahu.

The race had been held annually for decades until the pandemic put it on hold, and last year, it was canceled after the deadly Maui wildfires. This year, it made a comeback.

The world championships of paddling is a feat of physical endurance and mental fortitude.

Ten paddlers from Moloka’i’s Wa’akapaemua Canoe Club secure the canvas covers to prevent waves from swamping the hull, ensure the ‘iako, or boom, is lashed tightly, and tie ti leaf on the bow as a symbol of protection.

The athletes stretch, hug their families and prepare to take on an unpredictable ocean while paddling for seven hours.

For many who participate, it also carries deeper meaning: it’s a celebration of Hawaiian culture.

Crewmember Ka’ala English has made the Kaiwi Channel crossing six times. She says being in the wa’a, or canoe, allows her to sense her ancestors with her.

“I go there to be with them. I get to talk to them. I get to feel them,” she says.

Juggling months of grueling training while being a mom is tough, English explains.

“You work all day, you go home, you still get homework, you get dinner, you got all these things, and then you go out there [in the ocean,] and you just feel one with the water.”

Each outrigger canoe is paddled by six women at a time. An escort boat follows each team during the race, with more paddlers on board. Team members switch off throughout the crossing in what are called water changes. They plunge into the open ocean, hoist themselves into the moving wa’a and keep paddling.

“Gotta hustle, gotta hustle!” yells the Wa’akapaemua coach Keola Kino as crewmembers jump off the escort boat. “Keep it hot, girls, keep it hot!”

This year’s conditions were moderate but the Kaiwi Channel is known to be treacherous. Sometimes, the swell is so high that canoes plunge over the 10-to-20-foot peak of each rolling wave, making water changes dangerous.

For hours, paddlers navigate across the open ocean, their course set by their steerswoman who sits in the canoe’s rear. To keep up their energy, the Moloka’i crew eats poi -- a Polynesian staple made from taro -- dried deer meat jerky and chilled watermelon during the race.

Thousands of years ago, canoes brought transportation and exploration for Polynesian cultures, and today’s races honor that tradition. A men’s competition, the Moloka’i Hoe, started in 1952, while women officially raced the Kaiwi Channel for the first time in 1979.

In the early days of the men’s race, coaches and officials doubted women could handle the crossing.

Legendary Moloka’i paddler Penny Martin recalls her coach at the time saying, “No, the women will never do the channel.”

“Most of the women that were padding at the time, after doing all the regattas and watching the men do the channel, it's kind of like, ‘why not us, right?’” she says.

In 1975, two women’s crews completed the first crossing, and Nā Wāhine O Ke Kai officially began four years later.

Race Director Luana Froiseth has paddled the crossing nearly 30 times and says it’s about more than just the race.

“These two races, Nā Wāhine O Ke Kai and Moloka’i Hoe -- they're not only the Olympics of canoe paddling, but it's Hawaii's heritage,” she says. “These races started on Moloka’i, and Moloka’i won the first Moloka’i to Oahu race. This is our culture.”

Out on the water, the last 10 miles of the race are the most mentally challenging, as the athletes face fatigue and fight to push on. But excitement grows. With Oahu’s Waikīkī Beach ahead, canoes merge from the open ocean toward the finish line, while coaches and paddlers cheer from the escort boats.

“Push gang, push!” urges Kino.

“Sit up and breathe!” paddlers remind their teammates. “We worked hard for this moment, ladies!”

After the finish, Wa’akapaemua Canoe Club’s Lili’uokalani Kapuni, who completed her first Nā Wāhine race, was full of pride for her crew.

“Depend on your team, they got your back and you got theirs. It was an amazing experience,” she says.

This year, the Moloka’i team placed in the top 20, with Team Bradley of Oahu taking first place for the fifth consecutive time.

With Nā Wāhine O Ke Kai complete, the Moloka’i Hoe will take place on Oct. 13, and Moloka’i will also have a men’s crew competing.