‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima: Making Paddling Accessible

By Mālielani Larish

On a bright Sunday morning, half a dozen members of ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima respectfully hold the hull of a sleek canoe while Kahu (Reverend) Kauila Haumea invokes a Hawaiian prayer of blessing. ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima (the canoe family with many helping hands) is one of the few canoe clubs in the state of Hawai‘i dedicated exclusively to giving individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to learn the sport of paddling.

The club holds twice-weekly practices at Hilo’s Bayfront beach that fosters teamwork and social skills amongst its members, with a focus on each athlete’s personal best, rather than on competition. Thanks to the first annual inclusive canoe race that the club co-hosted last summer, the club’s membership swelled and a solid group of 30 athletes with disabilities, and more than 20 volunteers, enjoyed the ocean and each other’s company in the safe, welcoming, and nonjudgmental environment that the club cultivates. There are also a few canoe clubs on O‘ahu and Maui that organize practices for paddlers with disabilities, on a more infrequent basis.

Kahu Kauila is the club’s president and founder. His personal philosophy is to never let anything slow you down or stop you from doing what you love, and expresses itself fully in the club’s activities. Although Kauila was born with a rare neuromuscular disorder that impairs his walking, speech, and eyesight, he is fiercely independent and actively involved in the community. He had been attending the University of Hawai‘iʻs recreational paddling classes for 10 years, and when they were suspended with the onset of Covid, he knew that he needed to form an independent canoe club.

According to Kauila, “The club’s mission is to give people of all abilities a connection to the ocean and the Hawaiian culture.”

The club established itself as a nonprofit in January 2022, with the logistical savvy of Ian Kow, the club’s director of operations and a direct support worker who assists Kauila. The club has attracted a core group of accomplished paddlers who instruct and coach the athletes on a volunteer basis: David “Tavita” Cooper, Kalei Kalili-Burdman, and Daryl “Sammy” Sampaga, who runs his own nonprofit named Operation Sammy Muscular Dystrophy (OSMD). Sammy graciously entered into a sharing agreement with ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima, allowing the club to use the canoes and the hale (shelter) that belong to OSMD.

Paddling Practice with Aloha

On this particular Sunday, volunteers gather around the canoe to ensure that the paddlers board safely as the canoe’s bow sits in the sea. One of the athletes—a young man named Dusty with an unwavering smile—is excited to test out a new one-armed paddle purchased through a generous donation by a club member. ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima also uses a custom-welded adaptive seat that makes the canoe accessible for athletes in wheelchairs.

After launching the canoe, the six paddlers fall into a comfortable rhythm. Tavita, who hails from Samoa and serves as the club’s director of paddling, sets the pace in the number one “stroker” seat. Sammy shouts encouraging words from his position as steersman while the paddlers slice through the glassy water in unison: “Great job, numbers one through five!” Meanwhile, a volunteer named Rachel Saquing sits behind Dusty, helping him to adjust to the new one-armed paddle.

After gliding over towards Moku Ola (Coconut Island) and waving to a crew from Kamehameha Canoe Club, the ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima team traverse the bay and return to shore, where they are greeted by a new wave of athletes eager to board the canoe for the next practice run. Sammy enthusiastically greets everyone in his path while he helps Kauila advance up the slope to the shade of Hale Kenoi, the canoe house that Sammy named in honor of former Mayor Billy Kenoi. Kauila and Sammy have been friends since the age of five, and besides sharing an overwhelming love for the ocean, they have both made amazing contributions to their communities in the face of daunting challenges.

Healers at Heart

Gazing out at the tranquil waters of Hilo Bay, Kauila says, “The ocean is like my second home.” Kauila’s personality reflects the deep, calm waters of the bay, so it is not surprising that he works as a professional healer who offers traditional oli (chanting), pule (prayer), lomilomi massage, reiki, and house blessings. Healing and seafaring are in his blood; Kauila’s elder brother, Desmond Haumea, was a Hōkūle‘a voyager in one of the first crews. His aunty, Mary Fragas, was a renowned lomilomi massage therapist. Kauila’s last name, Haumea, is the name of the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth, who is the mother of Pele and Hi‘iaka. His first name, Kauila, refers to an endangered dry forest tree with the same name. It’s endemic to Hawai‘i Island, Maui, and O‘ahu, and produces a wood so dense that it will sink in water.

Kauila loves to share songs and chants; the delay that he sometimes experiences while speaking evaporates when he relaxes into a melody. He has performed at Abled Hawai‘i Artist expos, the Kukuau Studio, the Hilo Coffee Mill, and the Lava Shack in Pāhoa. For the past 29 years, Kauila has also rung the bell for Salvation Army’s annual Christmas fundraiser, often caroling for the passing shoppers. He is a board member of Disability Rights of Hawai‘i and served as a long-time member of the Hilo Crescent City Lions Club. The community contributions that he is most proud of include advocating for equal beach access to Richardson’s Beach and helping organize the first canoe regatta for people with disabilities.

Sammy believes that the ocean is a powerful healer, and he has been sharing that conviction by helping people with intellectual and physical disabilities experience the sport of paddling since 2014. Sammy is especially attuned to the challenges of people with unique needs, as he was born with muscular dystrophy. He recalls experiencing depression as a young child when he was denied the opportunity to play baseball and other sports, and his world changed when he discovered that he excelled at canoe paddling. As he paddled competitively for various Hilo canoe clubs, he observed again and again that paddlers with disabilities were excluded from races.

All of that changed in June of 2022 when both Sammy and Kauila fulfilled a long-cherished dream by co-hosting the first annual King Kamehameha Awesome Athletes Inclusive Canoe Race along with the Arc of Hilo. The event, which was made possible through a grant from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, attracted more than 51 athletes of all ages and more than 100 volunteers. The race also honored the birthday of King Kamehameha I, who launched 10,000 canoes from Hilo Bay in his mission to unite the archipelago. Ian notes that the race tripled the number of athletes registered with ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima and significantly bolstered the club’s number of volunteers.

Paddle and Walk for Dreams

Sammy’s nonprofit, Operation Sammy Muscular Dystrophy, owns three canoes that he shares with ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima. These are top-of-the-line canoes, and Sammy was able to purchase them through an epic mission that he called “Paddle and Walk for Dreams.” Starting in 2014, Sammy walked and paddled around the perimeter of the Big Island to raise the funds needed to purchase a Sonny Bradley Lightning (whose design has garnered the most wins in the annual Moloka‘i Channel race) and a Tiger Force Five, insisting that people with special needs deserve the best. He continued his mission by walking and paddling around Kaua‘i, Maui, Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i, and O‘ahu, sharing his anti-drug and anti-bullying message and spreading awareness about muscular dystrophy at schools, churches, and drug rehab centers. Sammy asked respected paddlers to choose the names for these cherished canoes, which have been so instrumental to fulfilling ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima’s mission: Kamehanaokalā (on a beautiful blessed day), Kamana ‘Olana (to give hope), and Nai‘a ‘ele ‘ele (black dolphin).

Truly Inclusive

Alyson Yanagihara speaks with emotion when she reflects on the impact that ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima has had on her 23-year old daughter Mikayla, who graduated from Waiākea High School in 2021. In addition to increasing her confidence on the water, Mikayla has benefited tremendously from the opportunity to socialize with her peers during practice sessions. Many of the club’s participants have few opportunities to socialize with their peers in a meaningful way, so the teamwork required by paddling provides fertile ground for helping athletes grow in their social skills as well.

“It is truly, truly inclusive,” Alyson says gratefully. As a nurse in Hilo, she has spread the word to other parents of special needs children about how much of a positive experience ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima participation has been for the family. The simple opportunity to connect with other parents and talk about life and how their kids are doing has been a huge source of support for Alyson as well.

Seeing athletes light up with joy when they are on the water motivates the leaders and volunteers of ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima to keep serving. Kauilaʻs advice for individuals who may be interested in trying paddling? “Face your fears and never let things hold you back from your dreams.” ❖

All photos courtesy of ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima

For more information: ohanawaalaulima@gmail.com