December 10: Keiki from Kamehameha Schools Kalihi Palama Preschool visit Hikianalia
Keiki from the Kamehameha Schools Kalihi Palama Preschool recently visited Hikianalia. They had closely followed Hikiananlia’s voyage from Tahiti to Hawaiʻi because Abby’s dad, Mark Ellis, was a crew member. Abby Ellis, who brought her class and her mom (Kehau, to Abby’s left) to see where her dad, Mark (right) lived for 17 days:
Kamehameha Schools Photo by Michael Young.
Progress on the voyage, which lasted 17 days and 2,400 miles, was updated regularly via maps and crew posts on this website.
Photos from inside the classroom, taken by teacher Shannon Kahoano.
The students would visit the site every day and take turns being a reporter to the class about what had happened over the past day.
They tracked Hikianalia on a map and created a canoe out of cardboard in their Dramatic Play Center. As an ʻOhana activity they created a canoe out of recyclable materials.
Photo Credit: Shannon Kahoano
They were very excited to actually get to see and touch both Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia at the Marine Education Training Center, especially with Kamehameha Schools Program Support Director (aka “Uncle Mark” and “Dad” to the students) as their main tour guide.
Kamehameha Schools Photo by Michael Young.
One day, when reading the daily blog from the voyage, they learned that it was Capt. Bob Perkins’ birthday. They all sang “Happy Birthday” to him from their classroom. They greatly enjoyed meeting Capt. Bob in person. Below: Left, back row-Hikianalia crew members Mark Ellis, Capt. Bob Perkins and Brenda Smith:
Kamehameha Schools Photo by Michael Young.
The Kalihi Palama Preschool students checked out the below deck sleeping quarters for the crew.
Kamehameha Schools Photo by Michael Young.
