For a couple of days I‘d seen the koa canoes being gathered at Kailua Beach for the weekend canoe regatta. My anticipation of the event was high as I knew how close canoeing is to the heart of the Hawaiian culture and how thrilling it would be to see and photograph the event.

As the sun rose on Kailua Beach the day of the races, the beach was alive with excitement! Koa canoes and equipment were being prepared; paddlers of all ages were in animated groups talking and getting ready; canoe clubs from all over the island were setting up tents with their insignias and Hawaiian flags; families and spectators were in high spirits putting out beach towels, chairs, food and radios playing Hawaiian music.

As my feet hit the sand, I lifted my camera to my eye and began photographing. Even before the races there were many great shots!
Then the races began. The koa canoes were beautiful and historic. The teams paddled with all their hearts as the proud canoes skimmed across the aquamarine waters.

The crowds on the beach loudly rooted their teams on and burst into cheers when their teams won.

One race in particular with girls aged 12-14 from the Leeward Kai canoe club caught my eye. I began focusing in on their paddles dipping powerfully and rhythmically into the water pushing them into the lead. They were awesome! And, they won!

After the race, the girls, smiling broadly, posed for a group photo taken by their families. Off to the side, I was taking pictures too. I was thinking of the girls’ strength, determination, mental focus, and heart that it took for them to win. How they’d used every muscle and fiber of their being in this ancient Polynesian tradition. How special each of their paddles was to them, how the paddles were fine extensions of themselves. The expert paddling, team effort and a fine koa canoe took them to victory.

I began focusing my camera more in on the paddles…. looking more closely with my lens, and marveling at the rich color, shape, and details of the paddles. I liked how with the team lined up I could photograph all their paddles next to their legs and feet in the white sand.

That’s how I got this great picture. It has beauty of composition and rich color, offers a tribute to the team, and homage to the ancient cultural tradition of canoeing. It says something powerful to me of the spirit of the day and of the regatta …. That of youth, Hawaii’s future, embracing the historic paddling culture of the past, and putting it all together in a perfect harmony in their winning race of that day.

PS. Congratulations Leeward Kai Girls Canoeing Team!

© 2007. Susan Benay. Image and Text. All Rights Reserved.