A Tauranga man embarking on a world-wide waka journey has just left Hawaii to begin the three-year journey.
Thousands turned out to see the Hokulea waka as it left Waikiki about 4pm on Sunday with local man Jack Thatcher on board.
Mr Thatcher is a master of celestial navigation.
Bay of Plenty Times columnist Tommy Wilson said of the celebrations in Hawaii, It was doing what they knew their ancestors did a long, long time ago.
The double-hulled sailing canoe (waka hourua) will travel past the Cook Islands and Tonga, reaching Tauranga in October.
It will continue to New Caledonia, Australia, the Christmas Islands, around Cape Horn in Africa and past South America on its way back to Hawaii.