"All
Nations Many Hands Welcoming the Canoe Ceremony"- Meyiiha, Kemaa Ti'at, hosted by KIW
Oct.24th,2009,"THE WORLD
SHOOK THIS DAY"- This event was beyond words, it was an historical and a spiritual connection with our Micronesia Island
Elders, brothers and sisters. We thank the over 300 people who were able to share this remarkable day with us. We thank all
the volunteers, participants, guest and vendors who we could not have done it without them. Ahweskone Xaa
w
Dear Brother Jacob Gutierrez,
1. The Ti’at means Waka(Polynesian) or Wa(Chuukese)
2.
The name of the canoe is Rhapinwok(Chuukese) for the Master Navigator of the canoe of Life or the Navigator of all navigators…this
a name we reserve and use for the Great and Mighty Warrior, the Son of the Creator who doesn’t need the stars to lead
us in the good path of life.
3. The Rhapinwok was build in Puluwat, Chuuk in Micronesia.
4. It was built by one of the navigators and his students from Puluwat, they are part
of our family from there, where our indigenous people still teach our young men how to build and sail canoes, in the lagoon
and on the open sea. And it is from one of the our traditional schools that this canoe was build. It was already used by the
students and family to sail and to fish before they gave it to us.
We had the Rhapinwok shipped all the way
from Chuuk through Hawaii by sea, then by air from Hawaii to LAX. Our original thinking was to ship it to Israel and use it
there as requested by the stewards of the land of Israel. But our Creator and His Son, the Master navigator had a good plan
that we needed to adhere to before the trip to Israel. We needed to honor the natives of north America, where we have migrated
to, before we take the Israel step…and so during our July 12 -17, 2009 Deep Sea Canoe All Pacific Nations Prayer Assembly
here in Pasadena, we the Pacific Islanders, before our Creator and the Great Navigator…His Son, and in the presence
of representatives from other nations, protocolled the First Nations Peoples of North America, God’s original gate keepers
and stewards of north America, by giving Rhapinwok as a gift of love, peace and friendship. It represent the Creator’s
Good way of reconciling His own back to Himself, by His grace. And we do represent the elders of all the nations of the Pacific
Island who are part of the Deep Sea Canoe Prayer Movement, covering Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia, when we bring the
canoe to you.
We thank you and your peoples for accepting us into your land from the same creator who gave
us our liquid nations. We think of you as our brothers and sisters, fellow followers of the Great and Mighty Warrior, the
Master Navigator. We look forward to opportunity to come alongside you more meaningfully. We look forward to what our Creator
would have us celebrate together in who we are and in what He deemed best to entrust to our care, in His good plan and in
His good way.
Thank you once again for your kindness and patience.
In the Great and
Mighty Warrior’s name,
Paul Otoko (Poli O’toko)
