This moolelo takes place in Raiatea, at the shoreline right next to marae Tau'aitu, which rests across the marae of Taputapuatea. The year was in the mid 1990's before the passing in 1999 of Raiatea's great Tahua or kahuna, Pierre Sham Koua of Uturoa, Raiatea, Tahiti. Hawaii sent up a group of warriors to take part in the ceremony held at Taputapuatea marae in the Island of Raiatea. This ceremony unified the family ties and blood lines of Hawaiians and others, from various parts of Polynesia with our ohana in Raiatea, Tahiti. This Island Raiatea is the homeland for many of our Hawaiian people. This reunion was intended to form a cord, reconnecting the past traditions of our people who were separated by the ocean for over 1000 years. This account takes place after the ceremony on the Marae Taputapuatea was completed. We walked down to the shoreline from the marae Taputapuatea, which was about 300 feet in distance to finish cleansing ceremony called Kapu kai and Pi kai. Pierre was with us on the shore and there were quite a few of the lua warriors there also. Pierre still wore his ceremonial kihei we were in our traditional malo. Pierre had on his neck a boar’s tusk necklace on a cord and asked one of the kane to take the tusk and to walk out to the depths of the sea with it. The inshore water is very shallow, made of sand, reef and rocks. The person that was to take out this necklace of boar tusk was named Hinano, like the Tahitian beer Hinano. As this warrior walked out into the sandy waters, the way was shallow. He was told by Pierre to take out the tusk and he would know what to do with it and how far to go out, as it was his journey to complete.
As soon as this person reached the end of the reef, the water in front of him was dark blue, with no bottom. He jumped off the end of the reef and swam in the dark ocean not knowing how far or where he was swimming to. He said he was afraid to plunge into the dark sea but was guided to do so in his na'au ( or inner feelings). He swam a few yards out into the depths and looked down beneath him . He saw all these tiny bubbles rising from below, which surrounded his whole body. As he kept watching he saw this large, round, white shadow rising beneath him. He said it was as wide as a large car and the bubbles kept on getting bigger as it neared the surface. He said his fear of the object was replaced with warm loving feeling and his fear quickly left. As the object was getting nearer to him, he saw it was a giant white honu. the size of this honu or turtle was about 10 feet in length. Hinano then dove down under the surface to meet the honu under the water. Hinano took the niho of pig tusk held it out by extending his arm. The honu slowly opened his mouth and took the niho pua’a or boars’ tusk in its beak. The Honu bit the cord and slowly sank back to the depths with the cord securely in its beak and the tusk still attached to the cord. As Hinano swam back to the edge of the drop off and slowly walked to the sand where we were standing, he came on to land and Pierre asked him how everything went. Hinano then went over what had happened maikai! Pierre asked him to tell of this journey and Hinano explained what had happened after he left the shore just an hour ago.Pierre then waited till he was done and said, "you have met my Tupuna out in the sea of Te Awa Moa”. He is our protector here and is an aumakua or family ancestor of mine. Pierre took off his kihei that was still covering his shoulder and, on his back, was the kakau or tattoo of a large white honu. Pierre said his family aumakua the great white honu was there to receive the offering of the tusk, which was intended to be released to the sea, and no harm would have come to the man known as Hinano. Our Tupuna or ancestral family members are always present among us and must be acknowledged daily as sometimes, they are the ones that offer guidance and knowledge when needed or asked. We Hawaiians, Tahitians and all People can re connect and make use of their gifts to progress our journey on this earth, now and in the next life.