Our Waʻa

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"Make Ready" Makaliʻi

Makaliʻi turned 30 on February 4, 2025! Over the years, we’ve built an ʻohana, trained new voyagers, and sailed to places like Kahiki, Satawal, and Mokumanamana. What we've learned: it’s the time spent together—preparing with family and community—that makes it all possible. We’ve got big work ahead to repair our moku and waʻa so we can keep voyaging. Your support makes it happen.

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Mauloa

In 1993, Mauloa was completed by Clayton Bertelmann, Tava Taupu, and many others under the guidance of Papa Mau. Built through the traditional and ceremonial practice of kālai waʻa, this canoe prepared them to carry on the kūleana of waʻa building and receive the blessing from kūpuna to create the voyaging canoe Makaliʻi.

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Makaliʻi

Makaliʻi was the dream of Uncle Clay Bertelmann, founder of Nā Kālai Waʻa. She was built in just nine months in a Parker Ranch Quonset hut in Waiemi wahi. Makaliʻi is a 54-foot waʻa kaulua (double-hulled voyaging canoe) with a single mast. On February 4, 1995, she was born in a launching ceremony at Kawaihae, her home. Just a month later, in March, Makaliʻi set off on her maiden voyage to Tahiti.

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Hōkūliʻilii

Hōkūliʻiliʻi is a 16-foot double-hulled coastal sailing canoe. Built in 1997, her hulls were designed and crafted by Tiger Espere, and the canoe was assembled by Waimea Middle School students under the leadership of Clay Bertelmann and the guidance of Tiger.

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Alingano Maisu

In 2007, Nā Kālai Waʻa welcomed our second voyaging canoe, Alingano Maisu. She sailed to Micronesia with the crew as a hoʻokupu (gift) for Papa Mau and his people, honoring the return of this ʻike to Hawaiʻi and the importance of "stick together."

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