BYU–Hawaii students find deeper meaning through service, heritage and life lessons aboard Iosepa
Sailing aboard Iosepa isn’t just an academic or cultural exercise; it’s a personal journey rooted in service, ancestral connection and the pursuit of life lessons extending far beyond the ocean, shared three BYU–Hawaii students who crewed the Iosepa. They said experiences aboard the vessel shaped and deepened their understanding of service, purpose and commitment to preserving Polynesian traditions and values.
A dream realized through action
Rory Pilkington, a junior from Australia majoring in business management, with concentration on finance said sailing on the Iosepa was the fulfillment of a vision he first had as a missionary. “During my mission, I had a dream of me on a double-hulled canoe smashing through ocean waves,” he shared. “And once I was given the opportunity to make it become a reality, I leapt at the chance.”
According to Pilkington, he first stepped onto Iosepa during the Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FESTPAC) in 2024 while the canoe was stationed at Kualoa. He said he has been involved with the Iosepa and the voyaging community ever since. Although the only event he joined this year was a community outreach at the canoe house, Pilkington said the Iosepa continues to reshape his view of what service truly means.
Pilkington said sailing aboard the Iosepa helped him see service in a new way not just as a way to lighten someone’s load or brighten their day, but as a deeper, ongoing commitment to caring for the earth. Instead of trying to be a “one-time hero,” he said the experience taught him the importance of becoming a lifelong steward of the environment.
He added that Iosepa’s purpose goes far beyond physical voyages. “With Iosepa, you have a mission and a purpose. You’re there as a group, honoring the ancestors and all those who have gone before, not just going for a ride out in the ocean like with other vessels,” he added.
Pilkington continued by echoing a sentiment shared by PCC President Alfred Grace. “I think President Grace said it best when he said, ‘Iosepa is to the Polynesians what the handcart is to the pioneers,’” he shared.
With Iosepa, you have a mission and a purpose. You’re there as a group, honoring the ancestors and all those who have gone before, not just going for a ride out in the ocean like with other vessels.
Lessons at sea and on land
Robecca Salleh, a junior from Malaysia majoring in health and human science, said her journey began long before the canoe set sail. “I have worked at Iosepa Learning Center since my first semester,” she shared. “All the learning and training while working there inspired me to join the voyage and apply the things I’ve been trained on.”
She sailed with the Iosepa during its recent voyage from O‘ahu to Moloka‘i and Maui. She said along the way, crew members taught the community about traditional voyaging and ancient navigation methods. She described the experience as “very productive and memorable.”
Reflecting on the journey, Salleh said the services they offered were not one-sided. As a crew member, she helped teach the community about the Iosepa canoe, traditional Polynesian navigation and the importance of connecting with ancestors. “I realized while I was giving service to the community, I was also receiving service. It was a mutual thing. The more I gave, the more I received. Service is a work of God,” she shared. She said the more she shared with others, the more she learned about her own family history and strengthened her testimony of temple work.
Citing Mosiah 2:17, she said, “King Benjamin was right when he said, ‘When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God.’” Salleh also recalled the guidance she received from Captain Mark Ellis during their return to the harbor. She echoed the captain’s words saying, “Sailing on any canoe teaches valuable life lessons because it involves making constant decisions, each with consequences, and when you choose to stay on the right path, you will be blessed.”
She said she believes the canoe offers more than a voyage, it teaches values that ripple through the lives of everyone who steps aboard. “Iosepa gave a valuable life lesson and advice to the community,” she said. For Salleh, “sailing with purpose” means doing things with set goals and keeping the end in mind.
Bridge between generations
Raj Ravi David Jerry, a senior from Malaysia majoring in business management with an organizational leadership and human resources concentration, said it was the questions asked by guests in the Iosepa Learning Center that motivated him to sail. “Most guests asked if I had been sailing with the Iosepa,” he said. “This inspired me to join the crew and sail out. Iosepa sailed last year and I missed the opportunity to sail, but this year, I was able to join.”
For Jerry, Iosepa became a cultural bridge. “It brings the community together by educating them and connecting them with their ancestors,” he said. “It bridges the younger generations with the older.”
He said the voyage also reshaped his understanding of service. “From my perspective, service helps me understand that we need each other,” he shared. “It is a universal language that unites all of us together.” The Iosepa, he continued, carries with it a spiritual legacy. “Iosepa brings the spirit of aloha to the world, which fulfills the vision of the Polynesian Cultural Center.”