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City of Tacoma honors Boy Chun Fook, ‘the ‘heart’ of Kīkaha
More than 75 Kīkaha members and their families gathered Jan. 19 to honor longtime club member Boy Chun Fook as he received the city of Tacoma’s 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award – Lifetime Service Award.
It was a proud moment for Chun Fook and his ohana. When he addressed the gathering, wearing a blue Kīkaha ballcap and leis, he reminded the audience of Dr. King’s vision.
“He has given all of us dreams,” Chun Fook said. “Dreams that we need and to put into action, right? We need these kind of dreams to come true.”
Chun Fook thanked indigenous nations, including the Puyallup nation, for allowing Kīkaha paddlers to use their waters. He then made a special point of thanking his wife of 41 years, Brenda.
“She has been my backbone from Day 1, since I met her over there in Ewa Beach,” Chun Fook said.
Chun Fook shared his love for Kīkaha as well.
“You guys, this is all yours,” he said. “This is all your guys work. I’m just a vessel from God. He put me in this place to give you guys the tools that we need.”
The award, given out since 2007, was part of the city’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center – Ballroom in downtown Tacoma. It was a well attended event.
“The city of Tacoma’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration brought together over 1,200 community members for a powerful day of reflection, service, and connection,” said Ashley Young, special events coordinator for the city. “The event featured a vibrant Community Showcase with 48 vendors, highlighting local organizations and resources advancing opportunity, service, and belonging across Tacoma.”
After the event, Fergus Kanaiaupune Hyke, Kīkaha president, praised Chun Fook’s selflessness and called him “the heart of Kīkaha O Ke Kai.”
“Boy has set a standard that will be treasured for a lifetime,” he said. “He has dedicated his life to the perpetuation of our Hawaiian culture through the vessel of outrigger paddling. He is a Kupuna, a cultural icon here in the PNW, and this award could not have been given to a more deserving individual.”
Nellie Bell, club vice president, said seeing Chun Fook on stage and the Kīkaha ohana out in full force, brought tears to her eyes.
“It was a full circle moment,” she said. “Witnessing and listening to all the cheers and chee hoo’s for our founder, leader, coach, friend Uncle Boy.”
Video courtesy of Brittany Chun Fook
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Da Kīkaha Korner
Aw’ryte!
A group of Kīkaha paddlers enjoyed a Burke Museum tour of its collection of Polynesian model canoes and paddles on Jan. 13. Mahalo to Linda Murillo for organizing the tour! Holly Barker, the resident Polynesian, Asian, Oceanic specialist at the museum, explained a variety of exhibits, which included voyaging maps and sails, Murillo said. “The museum’s collection of traditional canoes and paddles is certainly impressive and interesting as well,” Murillo said. “However, to learn the unique cultural information from these exhibits was certainly a treat. The more I learn about native cultures, the more I am humbled.”
The Asia Pacific Cultural Center will present its 28th annual New Year Celebration on Feb. 28. The free celebration will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall. This year the event honors the traditions, arts, and heritage of Cambodia. The family friendly event features performances, activities, vendors, and food from across Asia and the Pacific Islands…
Canoe rigging and our 2026 general membership meeting are just over the horizon. Both will be held on Sunday, March 8. Rigging will begin at 8:30 a.m. at our Foss Waterway site, 2130 East D St. in Tacoma. Our meeting and potluck will follow the rigging, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Teamsters Union Local 313, 220 S 27th St. in Tacoma…
Kīkaha plans to start the 2026 season with a swap meet on March 21 at the Foss Waterway practice site. It’s a good opportunity to find a new home for paddling gear you no longer want and to find bargains offered by like-minded paddlers. More info will be coming…
To celebrate 30 years as a club, Kīkaha will host a celebration on June 20. More details about time and location will be coming, but please save the date…
Aw’ryte!
Linda Murillo, Peggy Peterson or Fay Tong.
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Who dat?
Paddler: Julia Mielish
Years paddling canoes: 1 year plus a few paddles in Southern California before moving to the PNW.
Years with Kīkaha: 1
Favorite race: “That’s a tie: Rooster Rock for the sheer beauty of the Gorge and Rusty Iron, my first race. Paddling by the houses we saw a cat which I said hello to. Auntie Fay promptly told me to keep my eyes on the race!”
Favorite paddling experience: “The entire first season has been so memorable, but I have to admit that taking my OC1 out for her first ride was the best. I’m so grateful to Rose for going with me and helping me out when I hulied.”
Why paddling? “I grew up on an island(just not Hawai’i) and became used to needing watercraft to get places. Since then I’ve been a water girl – swim, scuba, kayak, paddleboard. Whether in it or on it, it’s the place I go to settle my heart. I respect its power and I’m committed to keeping it clean and healthy for the generations that come after me.”
Best paddling advice you’ve ever received: “Rose once explained planting your blade as thinking of it like a pole vault, planting the pole and pulling yourself up and over the bar. In paddling, same idea: plant your blade in the water and then pull the boat past it. This really helped me understand getting the blade in at the right angle.”
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Kīkaha O Ke Kai, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that paddles out of the Foss Waterway, would like to say mahalo to its sponsors and supporters: Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Nordlund Boat Company, Katie Downs Waterfront Tavern & Eatery, Tucci Energy Services, Hawaiian Paddle Sports, Aloha Carpet Cleaning and Moku ‘aina Wakinekona Hawaiian Club.
Talk Story seeks to cultivate a strong, unified identity for Kīkaha O Ke Kai, reflecting the spirit of Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling. It is dedicated to sharing club news and managing information promptly. It aims to provide members and supporters with a newsletter that enhances their connection to the club and represents our shared values on and off the water. You can contact us at kikaha.info@gmail.com.