🔗 Share this article Reviving the Lost Tradition of Traditional Boat Making in New Caledonia This past October on Lifou, a ancient-style canoe was set afloat in the lagoon – a small act that signified a highly meaningful moment. It was the first launch of a ancestral vessel on Lifou in generations, an event that brought together the island’s three chiefly clans in a exceptional demonstration of solidarity. Mariner and advocate Aile Tikoure was instrumental in the launch. For the last eight years, he has spearheaded a initiative that seeks to restore heritage canoe building in New Caledonia. Numerous traditional boats have been constructed in an initiative intended to reunite native Kanak communities with their oceanic traditions. Tikoure says the boats also help the “beginning of dialogue” around maritime entitlements and environmental policies. Global Outreach During the summer month of July, he travelled to France and conferred with President Emmanuel Macron, calling for ocean governance created in consultation with and by Indigenous communities that honor their relationship with the sea. “Forefathers always crossed the sea. We lost that for a period,” Tikoure explains. “Now we’re finding it again.” Traditional vessels hold profound traditional importance in New Caledonia. They once symbolised movement, interaction and family cooperations across islands, but those customs faded under colonial rule and outside cultural pressures. Heritage Restoration The initiative began in 2016, when the New Caledonia government’s culture department was considering how to reintroduce traditional canoe-building skills. Tikoure collaborated with the authorities and after two years the boat building initiative – known as Kenu Waan project – was born. “The most difficult aspect didn’t involve harvesting timber, it was gaining local support,” he explains. Initiative Accomplishments The program aimed to restore traditional navigation techniques, mentor apprentice constructors and use boat-building to enhance community pride and inter-island cooperation. So far, the organization has created a display, released a publication and supported the creation or repair of nearly three dozen boats – from Goro to Ponerihouen. Natural Resources Different from many other Pacific islands where tree loss has reduced wood resources, New Caledonia still has suitable wood for crafting substantial vessels. “In other places, they often employ modern composites. Locally, we can still work with whole trees,” he explains. “That represents a significant advantage.” The vessels built under the Kenu Waan Project combine Polynesian hull design with regional navigation methods. Academic Integration Beginning this year, Tikoure has also been instructing seafaring and heritage building techniques at the University of New Caledonia. “This marks the initial occasion this knowledge are offered at master’s level. It’s not theory – these are experiences I’ve personally undertaken. I’ve crossed oceans on these vessels. I’ve felt overwhelming happiness doing it.” Regional Collaboration Tikoure sailed with the team of the Fijian vessel, the heritage craft that traveled to Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum in 2024. “From Hawaii to Rapa Nui, through various islands, this represents a unified effort,” he explains. “We’re taking back the sea collectively.” Governance Efforts During the summer, Tikoure journeyed to Nice, France to share a “Traditional understanding of the marine environment” when he conferred with Macron and additional officials. Addressing official and overseas representatives, he argued for collaborative ocean management based on local practices and community involvement. “It’s essential to include them – particularly those who live from fishing.” Current Development Currently, when navigators from throughout the region – from Fiji, Micronesia and New Zealand – visit Lifou, they examine vessels in cooperation, adjust the structure and eventually voyage together. “We don’t just copy the ancient designs, we help them develop.” Holistic Approach For Tikoure, educating sailors and promoting conservation measures are interrelated. “It’s all about how we involve people: who has the right to move across the sea, and who determines what happens in these waters? Traditional vessels serve as a method to start that conversation.”