Crew Profile: Hiapo Elderts
PVS Member Since
HOMETOWN:
Kahaluʻu
PRIMARY DUTY:
Crewmember
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
Education Outreach
WORLDWIDE VOYAGE LEGS SAILED:
Leg 3: Hikianalia’s Voyage To California
Paul “Hiapo” Hiapomalulani Elderts was born at Tripler Hospital Honolulu, Oahu in the Kingdom of Hawaii. Hiapo grew up on the Windward side of Oahu in Kahaluu between Hau’ula and Waimanalo and also spent his childhood in Kapoho, Hawaii and Alameda, California. Hiapo went to school at King Intermediate and then to Castle High in Kaneohe, Oahu. His love for music sent him to Northern California to study recording arts at Los Medanos College and became a sound engineer.
He has worked with Hawai’i‘s local artists including Brothers Cazimero, Olomana, Makaha Sons, Na Leo Pilimehana, Ilona Irvine, Ten Feet, Natural Vibrations, Three Plus and many others. He has also worked as an air, land, and sea Logistic and Shipping Manager for 17 yrs and is presently making a living as a medical accountant, merchant mariner, and professional driver.
Hiapo is a proud member of Pa Ku’i a Lua under leadership of Na ‘Olohe and Haumana. He is privileged to be a founding member of Pacific Voyagers and the only crew member to sail 19 months without a break on Te Mana O Te Moana voyage, and "the last man standing" to end the voyage home on the Big Island. He sailed on four Wa’a during the voyage Haunui, Te Matau a Maui, Okeanos Vanuatu, and Gaualofa.
Grateful and was blessed to kokua build and sail Hikianalia’s Testing/ Training/Maiden Voyage, Aotearoa to Tahiti and home to Hawai’i with the Hokule’a crew and the Pacific Voyaging Society to start the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage.
He is now training with the Original Sailing School of Carolinian Weriyaeng of Micronesian Navigator Mau Piailug. Under Okeanos Marianas Captain Cecilio Raikiulipy and Master Navigator Rapwi Yalwarih. Hiapo has traveled to seven U.S. States, Mexico, Tahiti, Guam, Saipan, Puluwat, and Aotearoa to teach the basics principles of Makahiki games, Lokahi, and Navigational wayfinding.
Hiapo has sailed to the islands of New Zealand/Aotearoa, Tahiti - Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Cooks Islands- Aitutaki, Rorotonga, Samoa- Apia, Fiji- Laulala Bay, Levuka, Suva, Vanuatu- Port Villa, Santo, Maskalin, Luganville, Solomons- Honiara, Rennell, New Caledonia- Noumea, Costa Rica- Coco Island, Galapagos- Santa Cruz, Isabella, Caroline-Satawal,Yap-West Fayu/Piagailoe, Gaferut, Chuuk- Puluwat, Pulusuk, CMNI- Tinian, Saipan.
Hiapo has also done voluntary work for Kumu Hula Association of Northern California, ‘Ukulele Festival of Northern California, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Hura Tahiti, Hakipu'u Learning Center, Halau Lokahi, Ka ‘Umeke Ka’eo, Kamehameha Schools, Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana, Pacific Islander Cultural Association , Pacific Islander Hawaiian Inter-Club Council of Southern California, Na Mamo (E Hula Mau), Kama’aina Club of Orange County, Heritage of Aloha Festival, San Dimas Ho’olaule’a, Ka Panoa Kaleponi Hawaiian Civic Club, Pacific Islander Festival Association, Manaleo Hawaiian Cultural Foundation, Sacramento Aloha Festival, and Hawai`i’s Daughters Guild of California, Festival of Pacific Arts.
Hiapo enjoys teaching Kanaka Maoli and Pacific Islander culture, training with Pa Ku’i a Lua, Danzan Ryu, sailing with Ohana Wa’a, being around Moana, playing music, volleyball, and spending time with his valued Friends and Ohana under the guild of Ke Akua.
He has worked with Hawai’i‘s local artists including Brothers Cazimero, Olomana, Makaha Sons, Na Leo Pilimehana, Ilona Irvine, Ten Feet, Natural Vibrations, Three Plus and many others. He has also worked as an air, land, and sea Logistic and Shipping Manager for 17 yrs and is presently making a living as a medical accountant, merchant mariner, and professional driver.
Hiapo is a proud member of Pa Ku’i a Lua under leadership of Na ‘Olohe and Haumana. He is privileged to be a founding member of Pacific Voyagers and the only crew member to sail 19 months without a break on Te Mana O Te Moana voyage, and "the last man standing" to end the voyage home on the Big Island. He sailed on four Wa’a during the voyage Haunui, Te Matau a Maui, Okeanos Vanuatu, and Gaualofa.
Grateful and was blessed to kokua build and sail Hikianalia’s Testing/ Training/Maiden Voyage, Aotearoa to Tahiti and home to Hawai’i with the Hokule’a crew and the Pacific Voyaging Society to start the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage.
He is now training with the Original Sailing School of Carolinian Weriyaeng of Micronesian Navigator Mau Piailug. Under Okeanos Marianas Captain Cecilio Raikiulipy and Master Navigator Rapwi Yalwarih. Hiapo has traveled to seven U.S. States, Mexico, Tahiti, Guam, Saipan, Puluwat, and Aotearoa to teach the basics principles of Makahiki games, Lokahi, and Navigational wayfinding.
Hiapo has sailed to the islands of New Zealand/Aotearoa, Tahiti - Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Cooks Islands- Aitutaki, Rorotonga, Samoa- Apia, Fiji- Laulala Bay, Levuka, Suva, Vanuatu- Port Villa, Santo, Maskalin, Luganville, Solomons- Honiara, Rennell, New Caledonia- Noumea, Costa Rica- Coco Island, Galapagos- Santa Cruz, Isabella, Caroline-Satawal,Yap-West Fayu/Piagailoe, Gaferut, Chuuk- Puluwat, Pulusuk, CMNI- Tinian, Saipan.
Hiapo has also done voluntary work for Kumu Hula Association of Northern California, ‘Ukulele Festival of Northern California, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Hura Tahiti, Hakipu'u Learning Center, Halau Lokahi, Ka ‘Umeke Ka’eo, Kamehameha Schools, Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana, Pacific Islander Cultural Association , Pacific Islander Hawaiian Inter-Club Council of Southern California, Na Mamo (E Hula Mau), Kama’aina Club of Orange County, Heritage of Aloha Festival, San Dimas Ho’olaule’a, Ka Panoa Kaleponi Hawaiian Civic Club, Pacific Islander Festival Association, Manaleo Hawaiian Cultural Foundation, Sacramento Aloha Festival, and Hawai`i’s Daughters Guild of California, Festival of Pacific Arts.
Hiapo enjoys teaching Kanaka Maoli and Pacific Islander culture, training with Pa Ku’i a Lua, Danzan Ryu, sailing with Ohana Wa’a, being around Moana, playing music, volleyball, and spending time with his valued Friends and Ohana under the guild of Ke Akua.
