If we see the ocean as a connector instead of a barrier, then we might imagine a waʻa kaulua, a double-hulled voyaging canoe, sailing great distances as if it was traveling on a major highway between two cities. Ocean currents create on-ramps and off-ramps, and both natural and supernatural signs affirm location, as well as forecast weather conditions and estimate times of arrival.  For the Hawaiian people, our major highway or sea road – ala kai – is called Kealaikahiki. It is a heritage corridor that connects Hawaiʻi and our regional homeland Kahiki (the general vicinity of Tahiti).

When we apply the concept of ala kai to other parts of the vast Pacific, we can immediately see that there are hundreds, indeed thousands of discrete ala kai of different lengths and configurations between islands and continental coast lines from one end of Moananuiākea to the other, north to south, east to west. This means that each leg of a voyage regardless of distance, represents an ala kai, its very own sea road. In a macro context, the entire Pacific as a whole, then, can be envisioned as a large complex highway system with pit stops, turn abouts, and well-traveled and less traveled pathways, to and from destinations of choice.