Hokuleʻa Hula - by Carlos Andrade
 
Outbound to Tongatapu,
Aotearoa, goodbye
Leaving on the southwest wind,
Hokuleʻa spread your wings and fly.
Ancient Polynesian pathways
Carry us home again
Sail on and on and on
'Till the journey's end.

Hui:
Follow the stars at night
High in the southern sky
Ke-Aliʻi-o-Kona-i-ka-Lewa
Into the night while Orion dies
Southern Cross spinning slowly
Aroha nui, goodbye
Auwe Hokuleʻa, te vahine o ke kai.
Auwe, Auwe
Auwe Hokuleʻa, te vahine o ke kai.

Sail at night for Haʻapai,
Nukualofa goodbye
Through the reefs, the shoals, the islands
Fangatua to lead us with your eyes
Await the wind, Pangai, Lifuka
Into Vavaʻu at night
Sail on and on and on
'Till the morning light.

Matangi, Tonga to Samoa,
Neiafu goodbye
The wind's blowin', there's no stars showin'
Nainoa's navigating, hold on tight.
Raise the island Tutuila
Pago Pago's in sight
Sail on and on and on
Like a bird in flight.

Haʻina mai ka puana;
So the story is told
Hokuleʻa sails the ocean highways
With the family both young and old.
Aotearoa, Tongatapu
And now Samoa have passed.
Sail on and on and on
'Till Hawaiʻi at last


Source: Carlos Andrade -
Chorus, stanza 3, Ke-Ali`i-o-Kona-i-ka-Lewa is the Hawaiian name of the star Canopus. Stanza 6 - Aroha is the (New Zealand) Maori word that celebrated the Hokuleʻa crew's stay at New Zealand prior to sailing on to Tonga and Samoa. Verse 2, stanza 4 - Fangatua is the Tongan navigator who piloted the Hokuleʻa through the Tongan archipelago. Verse 3, stanza 1 - Matangi (Hawaiian word is makani, Samoan word is matagi) Matagi Tonga is the south wind that blew Hokuleʻa north to Samoa from Neiafu, the area in Vavaʻu where the Hokuleʻa anchored while waiting for the right wind conditions to complete the leg to Samoa. Verse 4, stanza 5 - Tongatapu is the capitol island of the Tongan nation.