Keiki enjoyed the last day of the ‘Ike Kai Summer Session on Friday with ocean time and pizza at Richardson Ocean Park.
‘Ike Kai is a hands-on Hawaii County enrichment program that integrates Western and traditional Hawaiian cultural knowledge and practices to promote marine ecosystem health and give keiki more confidence when in the ocean.
“One of the biggest things keiki take away from the camp is getting acclimated in an ocean environment and learning how to function and be safe in the ocean,” said Kalani Kahalioumi, recreation specialist. “Our goal is that the kids become comfortable enough to visit the beach all the time.”
‘Ike Kai is a two-week program with three separate sessions where kids 8 to 12 years old spend the day learning about the ocean and Hawaiian culture. According to Kahalioumi, they swim about 300 yards a day.
Keiki also are taught how to sail on a canoe in Reeds Bay. They take time to learn about the custom and then work together to learn to sail.
“They learn how to hoist sails, function as a team, and take care of the canoe,” Kahalioumi said. “It’s a great learning opportunity. It also gives us a chance to talk about native shoreline plants and their importance.”
One of the participants was Kahalioumi’s son, Tava Kahalioumi. On Friday, he spent the last hour of camp eating lunch and talking with his new friends.
“My favorite part is sailing. We are able to have more knowledge of what sails can do and what we can do on the wa‘a,” Tava Kahalioumi said. “It’s fun to work together and learn a lot about each other.”
Kids echoed how they want to keep sailing and learn more about it.
“My son, Vasco, this was his first year doing it, and he mostly talked about the wa‘a and enjoyed all the things they were learning about it,” Kalai Kealoha said. “This has been a great activity, and he doesn’t want it to end.”
Kealoha was also pleased with the amount of cultural knowledge her son gained throughout the camp and how he may be able to use it in the future.
“I think him learning sailing from his perspective as Native Hawaiian is so important,” Kealoha said. “He can see that his culture lives on and that he can do it no matter where he goes.”
The last session began Monday and will run through Friday, July 14. The session is at full capacity with 25 kids, but those interested in learning more about ‘Ike Kai for next summer can schedule an appointment to talk with Kahalioumi at (808) 238-6566.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
