A steersman guides his hand-carved outrigger canoe through the waters near Kamehameha Iki Park, Maui during the 11th Annual International Festival of Canoes in 2008. His large steering paddle was also hand-carved.
The festival celebrated the traditional craftsmanship of Polynesian art, music, canoes, and more.
Created to keep Polynesian voyaging traditions alive, the festival hosted master carvers from around Polynesia who spent two weeks shaping canoes out of raw logs.
From http://mauifestivalofcanoes.com [site no longer active]:
“In the Polynesian world all things are connected and nothing dies…things, people, they merely move through different dimensions. And so it is with the trees. Arriving from the upland forests they still retain their life force. Their soon-to-be transformation will be honored in ceremonies and rituals before work commences.”