Hawaiian Canoe Racing Assoc. Receives ‘Ahahui Grant

The Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association (HCRA) has received a $3,000 ‘Ahahui Grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in support of the 2019 HCRA State Championship Regatta and recognizes OHA as a Sustaining Sponsor of the annual State Championship Regatta.

The 2019 HCRA State Championship Regatta will be held at Hanalei Bay on Kaua‘i on Aug. 3, 2019. The first event begins at 8 a.m. The regatta is open to the public at no charge and racing concludes prior to sunset. A highly competitive and fun-filled day of racing is expected as HCRA crowns individual champions in 41 events and club winners in four divisions.

“OHA has been a staunch supporter of the HCRA State Championship Regatta, and we are humbled that OHA has again chosen HCRA to receive an ‘Ahahui grant and increased its grant award to us this year,” said HCRA President Walter Vierra. “We know OHA receives funding requests for many worthy events and programs from many applicants and we are pleased to be a grant recipient.”

“OHA’s mission ‘to malama (protect) Hawai‘i’s people and environmental resources and OHA’s assets, toward ensuring the perpetuation of the culture, the enhancement of lifestyle and the protection of entitlements of Native Hawaiians, while enabling the building of a strong and healthy Hawaiian people and nation, recognized nationally and internationally,’ complements HCRA’s mission to provide education and instruction in Hawaiian culture through canoeing and to encourage, maintain and perpetuate authentic Hawaiian canoe racing in the State of Hawai‘i,” said HCRA Race Commissioner Samantha Moikeha.

HCRA was formed for the purpose of engaging in charitable, educational, cultural, and recreational activities associated with Hawaiian canoeing, including the promotion of outrigger canoe racing and the construction and preservation of authentic Hawaiian koa canoes.

HCRA principal purposes are to: 1) Engage in, promote, encourage participation in, and provide education and instruction in Hawaiian and Polynesian culture through canoeing and other related activities on a local, national, and international basis; 2) Foster, encourage and promote interest in the sport of and science of canoe racing and canoeing in the State of Hawai‘i; and 3) Encourage, maintain and perpetuate authentic Hawaiian canoe racing and preservation of Hawaiian koa canoes.

OHA is a unique, independent state agency established through the Hawaii State Constitution and statutes to advocate for the betterment of conditions of all Native Hawaiians, with a Board of Trustees elected by the voters of Hawai‘i. OHA is guided by a vision and mission to ensure the perpetuation of the culture, to protect the entitlements of Native Hawaiians, and to build a strong and healthy Hawaiian people and nation.

Both Vierra and Moikeha emphasized that OHA’s grant makes it possible for HCRA to stage a well-run regatta.

Each summer nearly 10,000 outrigger canoe paddlers, from keiki as young as 7 years old to kupuna who are ageless, race at weekly regattas in the state’s four counties to determine who has the privilege of representing their island association and canoe club at the annual State Championship Regatta. The State Championship Regatta represents the best crews from HCRA’s six island associations.

Final results of the State Championship Regatta may be found at www.hcrapaddler.com.