During Makahiki season, when the rising of Makaliʻi signals a time of reflection, renewal, and deep remembrance, we said goodbye to our Pwo navigator and captain Shorty Bertelmann. He often reminded us, “Time is not that important. Timing is more important.” In his passing during this sacred season, we felt the depth of those words. The timing — as always — carried meaning. Our Makaliʻi ʻohana feels this loss deeply . We miss you, Shorty. Makaliʻi began as a dream of his brot

This month, our voyaging canoe Makali‘i returned to the open ocean for another shakedown sail — a time to test, adjust, and, most importantly, to learn together. With the installation of her new mast, there’s a shift in how she moves and breathes. She is still familiar — her rhythm steady and known — yet she carries a new energy. This wa‘a kaulua, born in the season of Makahiki, continues to carry generations forward. And now, with a strengthened rig, she reminds us that trad

Uncle Keoki Manu reminds us that so much of kuleana is about feeling—putting aside the modern-day distractions, listening to our na‘au,...

In the summer of 2024, as our canoe Makali‘i made way to join with our Oceania ‘ohana (family) and other voyaging canoes at the 13th...

While attending the 2024 Council for Native Hawaiian Convention and listening to the panel discussions, I reflected on how our ancestors...