Kupuna graduate paddling program

A paddle from the mouth of the Hanapepe River to the Swinging Bridge and back generated the electricity of excitement for a group of 1o or 12 kupuna outrigger canoe paddlers on Thursday along the moist, windblown Hanapepe shoreline.

“They have to do this twice,” said West Kauai Canoe Club instructor Darrian Muraoka. “Once in the Unlimited canoe, and the other in a traditional outrigger canoe.”

Thursday marked the hoike celebration — spectators labeled the event “graduation” — for the first cohort of the WKCC Kupuna Program. That started when the canoe club secured a grant that enabled it to acquire a new outrigger canoe that one of the club’s instructors said is about a hundred pounds lighter than the traditional canoe.

The Kupuna Program that started in March invited adults aged 65 years and more residing on the West Side of the island. Most had very little to no experience in canoe paddling. The kupuna were invited to revisit the art and culture of Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling, and incorporated health and fitness, Hawaiian culture, and paddling instruction to fulfill its objective of perpetuating Hawaiian canoeing and establishing the importance to lifestyle that fosters peace of mind, body and spirit.

“They get to learn all the terms associated with canoe paddling,” said instructor Tim Cotcuay. “We teach them what the terms mean, they don’t experience because we show them. Like huli, they don’t huli the boat, they get to learn what it means by watching our club demonstrate.”

West Kauai Canoe Club coaches and volunteer members worked with 12 to 14 participants, ages 60 to 70 years old through a 6-week introductory program that met twice a week for an hour each day.

The West Kauai Canoe Club’s hale is located in the thicket of trees at the mouth of the Hanapepe River, west of the Port Allen Fishing Club.