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Honolulu, HI
Feb 2, 2012
Jocelyn “Joy” Ronquillo Ancheta, a Filipino-American, living in Hawaii, has been selected to sail with the Vaka Pacific Voyagers to represent the Polynesian and Austronesia legacy of the ancestral Philippine mariners. Jocelyn Ancheta, is the sole Filipino to be selected as a crew member to join the prestigious Vaka. This will be the third leg of the Vaka Pacific Voyage. The flotilla of seven traditionally based Polynesian deep sea canoes set sail from Spanish Landing West, San Diego, California on on Tuesday morning January 24, 2012.
Click on this link to track each of the 7 Vaka. http://www.pacificvoyagers.org/voyage/track-the-voyage/
Second Leg: The second leg (West) was warmly welcomed with traditional protocol into the Hawaiian islands in July 2011 included vakas from Aotearoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Tahiti (French Polynesia). In addition, two vaka were crewed by representatives from Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Hawaii (USA), and Vanuatuas. The arrival of these canoes marked as a historical event. Community members from every island greeted the sailors with fanfare, food and traditional hospitality. The second leg ended in California.
Third Leg: The third leg South of the Vaka voyage, launched from San Diego, after the boats were resupplied and fresh crew members were added, including Joycelyn Ancheta representing the Philippines, and will travel to Cabo San Lucas Mexico, the Cocos Islands of Costa Rica, the Galapagos islands, the Marquesas islands, and the islands of Tahiti.
 Before the canoes departed Jocelyn Ancheta said: “I am so proud to be able to honor and represent my ancestors and their traditional ways of sailing and navigation as part of the Vaka” says Ancheta regarding her first voyage aboard the Vaka canoe."
“My hope is to inspire other Filipinos to appreciate the great legacy of the ancient Bangka boat tradition.” Ancheta continues, “...our ancestors were able to navigate huge stretches of ocean via traditional navigation, and by the power of the spiritual energy that emanates from the islands. One of the main goals of my voyage is to bring about awareness of critical environmental conditions that the oceans are in. I hope that Filipinos take pride in their ancestral connection with the oceans, and become responsible stewards of mother dagat(ocean)” Ancheta will be documenting her voyage via location call in posts, and journal blog entries.
About Ancheta: Ancheta has been living in Hawaii while receiving instruction on the ancient Philippine healing systems of Ablon and Pranic Energy Healing, as well as the Hawaiian healing massage art of Lomi Lomi. An active community organizer, Jocelyn volunteers for the Center for Babaylan Studies, a group dedicated to the indigenous spiritual knowledge systems of the pre-colonial Philippines. Ancheta was the Babaylan Pavilion curator for the 20th Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture held on September 2011 at San Pedro, California.
Ancheta Envisions: “I would love to see the Philippines reclaim its rightful place alongside the other Polynesian sailing vessels by building a proper traditional deep sea balangay canoe.” The Vaka vessels have aboard representatives of several Polynesian peoples including, but not limited to the Cook Islands, Fiji, Maori of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tahiti, and now the Philippines. Ancheta will be sailing aboard the Pan-Pacific multi-national Vaka canoe. The goal of the Vaka Pacific Voyage is to bring about ecological awareness of the oceans, cultivate pride in the peoples of Austro and Polynesia, and honor the traditions of the original Pacific Voyagers.
About the Vaka Voyages: Early navigators, Papa Mau Piailug and Nainoa Thompson and many others who have since worked passionately to bring back the traditional culture and wisdom of their ancestors into our modern world inspired Dieter Paulmann, the founder of Okeanos - Foundation for the Sea, Dieter was concerned at how ocean’s ecosystems had been altered from its original balanced, healthy, natural state by pollution of all kinds, from physical debris, to acidification to noise pollution. to audio. In seeking both more research and ways to bring awareness to the situation, Dieter finally knew for sure he had found what he had sought after — the vaka as a metaphor and symbol for a sustainable, respectful life and relationship with the sea. The Vaka sailing project is inspired by the renassaince in traditional sailing techniques demonstrated at the Festival of the Pacific Arts in American Samoa. When Dieter saw the Cook Islands’ “Te Au O Tonga” vaka and he knew he found his answer.
The Voyaging Motto – Te Mana o Te Moana translates into “the spirit of the sea.” The roots of our spirit are anchored in the depths of the sea, allowing us to freely travel and safely sail onward. Our cetacean (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) brothers and sisters hold significant value and respect in our Polynesian culture. Our legends, though varying between islands, hold these creatures as sacred, with a weight equal to our human brothers and sisters. When we leave our families on land, we join our families in the sea. They guide us through our journey and ward off dangers along the way. Whales and dolphins possess mana; they have the supernatural power of influence and the ability to carry luck with them. The quality of mana that we humans, living beings, and especially whales and dolphins own allow us successful travels as we voyage with Te Mana o Te Moana. The Vaka Pacific Voyage started in Aotearoa, New Zealand on April 2011. After joining into a flotilla of seven canoes in Hawaii, the Vaka sailed all the way to North America, arriving in San Francisco, California. The Vaka proceeded down the coast of California visiting at Malibu, Cabrillo Beach, and finally docking in San Diego to prepare for the third leg.
After this current leg, the voyage continues from Tahiti back to their respective home islands. Ancheta is extremely excited to sail aboard a traditional styled canoe as part of this epic Pacific Voyage. She will be using traditional navigation, sea currents, stars, and animals to guide her on her journey. The Vaka Pacific Voyagers are proud to have Jocelyn “Joy” Ancheta as part of their sailing crew.
If you want to contact Joy, email her joypacificvoyager@gmail.com or visit the Vaka Pacific Voyagers website: www.pacificvoyagers.org
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