HAWAIKI NUI VA’A : ITS STORY

It is very simple and generous.

Simple, because it was born from an association of buddies, in love with open sea va’a races.

Generous, because it wants to offer an event of international dimension to the cordial populations of a group of islands located at the North-West of Tahiti; the most beautiful of French Polynesia: Leeward Islands.

For several years, Edouard Maamaatuaiahutapu was looking for an idea of race which would be as prestigious as the one of Molokai, but more difficult.

He wanted a race which would reveal the physical and moral power of the paddler.
As soon as he was on his motu Atara in Tahaa, he used to settle under its "fare potee" to admire the beauty of the surrounding islands: opposite him, the island of Taha' a, on his right-hand side the island of Bora Bora, on his left the island of Raiatea and more in the bottom, Huahine.
He liked these islands so much and did not cease asking the following question:
"what can we make for them? "

It is in the twilight of a beautiful day of 1983 that Edouard Maamaatuaiahutapu gave birth to Hawaiki Nui Vaa. He had thus launched the race so much desired: connect the islands between them: from Huahine to Raiatea - from Raiatea to Taha' a and from Taha' a to Bora Bora.
•    HUAHINE: the most feminine of the islands, soft, smiling and welcoming.
•    RAIATEA: the sacred island, flowered and majestic, in the heart of Polynesia.
•    TAHA'A: Wild and spellbinding. Called "Vanilla Island", genuine oil which scents rum and desserts.
•     BORA BORA: discovered by the English Captain James Cook in 1777. It owes its celebrity to the second world war during when it was a base of the American army.

Since he was back to Tahiti, in 1984 he joined a band of buddies "crazy" of va’a and he exposed his idea to them. There were: Gaston and Yvonne TEIHOARII, Jo GALENON, Marcel THUNOT, Henri GUILBAULT, Damas ROCHETTE, Julien MAURIN.

Full of enthusiasm they went from island to island in order to present their project which seemed utopian for many. The band of buddies trained by Edouard had to show perseverance and to multiply meetings in order to convince the different clubs .

ANECDOTE: While crossing Tahaa-Bora Bora, Edouard’s boat started to sink and he had to very quickly get to Bora Bora, but he ran aground  on the coral reef of "Turi Roa". The Bora Bora hotel offered hospitality to him during several days.

The working sessions started for the installation of the logistics, the safety and the payment of the race. But he also had to face several problems; escort boats hire in particular .
These problems of boats hire and of tariffs have constrained Edouard, disappointed and frustrated, to put the project in "stand by" during a few times.

In 1991, Rony Pouturu with the assistance of Gaston Tong Sang, mayor of Bora Bora, organizes an open sea race on the way Tahaa - Bora Bora.

From there, everything followed on at the request of the Minister of Sports, Tony Hiro. The project of HAWAIKI NUI VA' A race, initially named RARO MATAI HOE was then reactivated.

It was with the assistance of Louis Maiotui and of Jacques Bonno and the contribution of many others, such as Mr. Gaston Tong Sang, Mayor of Bora Bora, Vane Temauri, mayor of Huahine, Narii Faugerat from “Nippon Auto-Moto”, Jean-Pierre Fourcade from “Brasserie de Tahiti”.
The country and its institutions, the State, recognizing the importance of this race,  had then put  at disposal important means.

Thanks to all those volunteers, Edouard could, with his team of buddies, carry out his dream which became ours.

Edouard was conscious that he did not have the right to make any mistakes and that this race had to be up to it.

The first edition took place in 1992 on November 12th, 13th and 14th and it was a  great success.
To the twilight of his life, Edouard said:

We received a beautiful heritage from our ancestors: the VA' A. And, it is of our duty to take care of it, in order to transmit it to our children who will do the same. Let us not forget that we are the guarantors of its durability.

HAWAIKI NUI VA'A HAVE TO PERDURE

That was his message and that is the story of HAWAIKI NUI VA' A.
Today, HAWAIKI NUI VA’A race is the most famous race on the local and international plan.