The all-female crewed waka hourua, Hinemoana II, has been joined by a mokopuna of a seafaring great.
Joelene Busby has been announced as the first Māori female captain working alongside her Tongan and Samoan co-captains, Aunofo Havea (Tonga) and Fani Bruun (Samoa).
Busby is herself an experienced waka builder and sailor and is a mokopuna of pioneer waka hourua sailor the late Sir Hekenukumai Busby.
Busby says the experience of being on board with an all-female crew is indescribable.
“It’s a movement. It’s a powerful movement and it just feels good and feels right. I know it’s not really nice to say that there’s no balance having the taitama tāne, taitama wahine but at the same time it feels really beautiful to be honest,” she says.
Busby is one of New Zealand’s most respected seafarers, and was the first wahine Māori to both captain a waka hourua and to build one for Aotearoa.
However, although she is a role model for so many, she is looking forward to the opportunity to be among the greats in the field.
“I’m actually living a dream, I’m with my two idols and they’re my captains. I feel so blessed and honoured to be a part of this kaupapa to be picked, to be chosen and to help lead.”
The voyage of Hinemoana II will focus on the lives of whales and how they can be better protected.
But for Busby it’s much deeper than that.
“Just remembering that the tohorā is our tuakana and we’re in the realm, in the home of the tohorā. So anything that we can do to help the Hinemoana Halo and Hinemoana II, that’s one of our missions.”
Busby says the water is a medicine for all people of the Pacific.
“I’m excited. I just love being on the water and I know how much the water is a medicine for my people and, if i can share that and our rangatahi can see me out there on the waka, hopefully I can open pathways for them to be able to do the same.”