Out of all Iosepa’s docking spots, BYU–Hawaii student and alumnus say Lahaina is closest to their hearts as the place fosters personal and cultural connections
After sailing to the shores of O‘ahu, Moloka‘i and Maui, Iosepa crew members Jeremy Brown and Kala Haverly said their favorite docking spot was Lāhainā, Maui—a place where they felt a personal connection to the land and its people, drawing them closer to themselves and their culture.
Haverly, a political science sophomore from Hau‘ula, said seeing Lāhainā people’s willingness to lend a hand helped him reconnect with his Hawaiian heritage, especially in times of loneliness. “Through this experience, I felt deep connections with people I had just met. And they’re strong experiences—strong connections that will forever help me,” he expressed.
Maui and the sense of community
Brown, a Winter 2025 graduate from Utah, said Maui was his favorite stop, especially since he was there the longest. “Many of the crew members had family there. Their families brought us food, talked to us and helped us do outreach programs,” he explained. Sailing to Maui, he shared, allowed him to build meaningful connections with people.
Brown said being in Lāhainā was the most significant part of their time in Maui. “We had permission from the harbor master to dock right in the area where the fire happened years ago. It was closed to the public but they asked us to come because of the voyaging canoe,” he shared. He said it was inspiring to witness the love, care and support within the Lāhainā community. “It was humbling to see how the community has healed and continues to do so,” he expressed.
Healing, Brown said, is just as important as having a sense of community, belonging and connection, especially in the face of disaster. “Looking at the community now and what they’re doing to change and heal, I realized it parallels our personal life and how we live the gospel—we also face challenges and ask ourselves, ‘What can I do now to change and heal?’” he said.
Brown also said Iosepa helped him deepen his focus on Christ, strengthen his faith and better understand himself. “Being around these people, especially those whom I share the same values with, helped strengthen myself and my own values,” he shared.
Despite having no Polynesian ancestry, he shared the strong sense of community he felt through the familial and ancestral connection shared by those on the voyage. “It was cool to witness these people’s strong connection to the place and how they were affected by it. I wanted to feel that connection for myself, too,” he expressed.
He also said the Iosepa crew supported Opi‘iliani canoe crews in an outreach program in Maui. “They were high school students doing summer voyaging. We got to talk to them, and we gave a presentation about the Iosepa and who we are,” he shared. Brown said they also answered various questions from other crews, ranging from sailing to outreach. “I think that helped me understand why I was there. We were able to learn together as we taught each other,” he shared.
Maui and the search for personal and cultural connection
Sharing the same favorite docking spot as Brown, Haverly said the destination he cherished most throughout the voyage was Lāhainā, Maui. He said they had originally planned to go to Maula, a coastal area north of Lāhainā, but plans changed. “Our captain said we were going to Lāhainā Harbor. It was special for me to have Iosepa bring me to Lāhainā, especially after the fire,” he expressed.
He described the experience as deeply spiritual. “We were going to a sacred place so we had to focus, respect the people there and bring light to them,” he shared. He said the community was very loving and supportive. “It was really humbling to see the people and the remnants of their houses. It was a privilege to see them rebuild their homes,” he shared.
Haverly said one spiritual experience he will always remember involved his crew member’s sister. He said after a tragedy at BYUH where a student was lost while sailing, the entire crew was feeling down. “The wind in our sails was taken out, as some people might say, because we went from having this joyous moment to grieving what had happened at school,” he recalled.
While processing the events that transpired, Haverly said his crew member’s sister showed him a painting she was working on. “It was a beautiful image of Lāhainā where everything was lush and green. She told me: ‘This is the hope that we have for the future. Although there are trials, the hope for our future after everything is gone is that we can choose to make it something more sacred than it was,’” he recalled. That perspective, he said, helped him realign his focus on prioritizing the land and its people.
Returning to Lāhainā after his mission, Haverly said their experiences symbolized the true spirit of the voyaging tradition. He said whenever they talked to others about their voyage and how they docked in Lāhainā, many were surprised as it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Iosepa: voyagers of faith. That is our title. And through that sacred vessel, we can be a light in moments of darkness, bringing the light of Christ to people who deeply need it,” he shared.
Being around these people, especially those whom I share the same values with, helped strengthen myself and my own values.
Words of encouragement
Haverly said he encourages individuals, especially the youth, to try hard things and pursue what is culturally meaningful to them. “It does not have to be voyaging if that’s not your thing. But in a gospel-centered culture, anything good that aligns with gospel principles should be understood and embraced,” he said.
He emphasized they can deepen their faith by finding aspects of their culture that support gospel principles. “That’s how it is for me. My voyaging does increase my faith. Being on the water, being on land, seeing these places that are important to me, getting to know these people, connecting with them and serving them bring me closer to Christ and His gospel,” Haverly explained.
Brown echoed the same sentiment, saying he would encourage anyone to experience voyaging. He said doing so will help them learn how to confront challenges, work with a team and understand themselves more deeply. “There’s value in connection, community, but also in working hard, learning and growing,” he said.
He said voyaging pushes people outside their comfort zones. “I didn’t have a lot of sailing experience before I did this. But because of this, I’ve been given many opportunities to be involved in different boats, which opened many doors for me,” Brown shared.