RELEASE NUMBER 50 | 25
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O Ke Kai Series Offers Free Workshops and Entertainment to Celebrate Polynesian Voyaging Legacy
HONOLULU – OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort’s O Ke Kai Series will honor The Friends of Hōkūle‘a and Hawai‘iloa, with the unveiling of premier oceanfront suites named by Hawai‘i’s Pwo Navigators. On Saturday, September 13, the Resort’s signature cultural education event series returns, offering a ceremony to highlight Billy Richards, President of The Friends of Hōkūle‘a and Hawai‘iloa, and his contributions to OUTRIGGER’s newly reimagined accommodations, followed by hands-on lashing workshops, keiki activities, and live entertainment by Ken Makuakane.
Richards, who served as a crew member on Hōkūle‘a’s maiden voyage to Tahiti in 1976 and the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage in 2014, currently serves as Co-chair of the voyaging community collaborative ‘Ōhana Wa‘a, and worked closely with Hawai‘i’s five Pwo Navigators to select names that authentically represent the constellations central to traditional wayfinding. The private dedication ceremony begins with a continental breakfast in the Navigator Suite Foyer at 8 a.m., followed by the free-to-the-public O Ke Kai Series “Navigating the Way – The Next Generation” event from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Resort’s A‘o Cultural Center & Ocean Tower Lobby. Canoe-building and restoration crew will host canoe-lashing and Star compass navigation demonstrations and workshops, while sharing The Friends of Hōkūle’a & Hawai’iloa volunteer opportunities.
“Our collaboration with Billy and our extended ‘ōhana wa‘a (canoe family) celebrates voyaging heritage and OUTRIGGER’s long-standing commitment to Hawaiian culture and community engagement,” said Luana Maitland, Area Director of Cultural Experience, OUTRIGGER Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort. “It’s our kuleana to share these names and their meanings with our guests to provide representation for the navigation traditions that live on today.”
The star of the show is the penthouse Grand Navigator Suite on the 18th floor, which stands as a tribute to Hawai‘i’s revered Pwo Navigators: Nainoa Thompson, Shorty Bertelmann, Kalepa Baybayan, Bruce Blankenfeld, and Chadd Paishon. This thoughtfully curated penthouse, selected by Billy Richards, boasts over 1,400 square feet of elevated island living, sweeping ocean views, two ocean bedrooms with private lanais, a separate living and dining area, and two full baths.
Additional Pacific Tower suites bear star names given by Billy Richards:
- Hōkūmau (Star of Mau), in commemoration of master Micronesian Navigator Mau Piailug, who guided Hōkūle‘a‘s historic 1976 maiden voyage to Tahiti
- Hōkūpa’a (Fixed Star/Polaris), the North Star that guided navigators across the equator
- Hōkūlei (Star-Wreath/Capella), the bright beacon in the northeastern sky.
The Ocean Tower suites feature constellation names chosen by individual Pwo Navigators:
- Hōkūle‘a (Star of Gladness) selected by Nainoa Thompson
- Makali‘i (Eyes of the Chief), chosen by Shorty Bertelmann
- Hānaiakamālama (Southern Cross) named by Chad Kālepa Baybayan
- Nā Hiku (“The Seven”, Big Dipper) Nā Hiku points the way to two stars that are significant to navigators, gifted by Chadd “‘Onohi” Paishon
- Ka Makau Nui o Maui (Maui’s Fishhook), named by Bruce Blankenfeld
Diamond Head Tower Ocean Front Suites:
- ‘A‘a (Star Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, meaning “burning brightly”) given by Ka‘iulani Murphy, Ho‘okele (Navigator)
- Kaululena (another name for Sirius, this star beams so bright it makes the night sky glow), named by Pomai Bertelmann, Kapena (Captain)
- Manaiakalani (constellation known as “the Chief Fishline”) refers to demigod Maui`s fishhook, anointed by Lehua Kamalu, Ho‘okele (Navigator)
“Each name represents not just a navigator, but a legacy of courage, wisdom, and connection to the ocean that continues to guide us today,” said Billy Richards, President of The Friends of Hōkūle‘a and Hawai‘iloa. ” These suites will serve as lasting tributes to the wayfinding traditions that continue to live on through the Polynesian Voyaging Society, educational institutions such as Bishop Museum, and long-time partners such as OUTRIGGER, who act as vessels sharing information to visitors.”
O KE KAI EVENT DETAILS:
- What: O Ke Kai Series – “Navigating the Way – The Next Generation” and Navigator Suites Dedication
- When: Saturday, September 13, 2025, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Where: A‘o Cultural Center & Ocean Tower Lobby, OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
- Cost: Free and open to the public
Save up to 40% on premium ocean views and enjoy a $75 resort credit by booking OUTRIGGER’s Ocean View offer available online. To learn more about the O Ke Kai and book a stay in a reimagined ocean view suite tied to the legacy of Hawaiian navigation, visit www.outrigger.com.
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