A voyaging canoe destroyed in the Lahaina wildfires is being replaced with a new vessel, thanks to the collaborative efforts of various individuals and organizations. The Mo‘olele, a canoe built 50 years ago, was located at 525 Front Street when it burned. Timothy ‘Timi’ Gilliom, a captain and builder of the Mo‘okiha O Pi‘ilani, is constructing the replacement canoe named Nāleilehua.
Gilliom recounted his experience during the wildfires on August 8, 2023: “When I looked at Mo‘olele, I knew I’d never see her again. And she was already finished, ready to go.” Despite the loss, support poured in for building the new canoe. Donations included koa wood and fiberglass hulls. Gilliom and his team aim to complete Nāleilehua this year.
The new canoe will be slightly larger than its predecessor. “Mo‘olele was 42 feet. This (Nāleilehua) is 44 feet,” Gilliom noted. The group Hui O Wa‘a Kaulua has moved from Lahaina to Kahului for this project.
David Tsuchiya from the DLNR Division of State Parks assisted by providing a significant amount of koa wood. “We got ahold of David Tsuchiya...and he ended up sending us a container load,” said Gilliom.
The transportation logistics were supported by trucker Timmy Lopez and Pasha-Hawai‘i shipping company. “The trucking was free…the shipping was at the discounted employee rate,” Gilliom added.
Makaio Lorenzo, involved in building Nāleilehua, expressed his connection to tradition: “I get to be what Timi was to Mo‘olele, to this canoe now.” He hopes one day to become its captain: “I dream about it every single night.”