🔗 Share this article Reviving the Forgotten Craft of Traditional Boat Making in the Pacific Territory In October on Lifou, a traditional twin-hulled vessel was launched into the coastal lagoon – a simple gesture that represented a deeply symbolic moment. It was the maiden journey of a ancestral vessel on Lifou in generations, an occasion that assembled the island’s three chiefly clans in a exceptional demonstration of solidarity. Seafarer and campaigner Aile Tikoure was instrumental in the launch. For the previous eight-year period, he has spearheaded a initiative that aims to revive traditional boat making in New Caledonia. Numerous traditional boats have been constructed in an initiative intended to reunite local Kanak populations with their oceanic traditions. Tikoure states the boats also facilitate the “beginning of dialogue” around maritime entitlements and conservation measures. Global Outreach During the summer month of July, he visited France and had discussions with President Emmanuel Macron, advocating for maritime regulations shaped with and by local tribes that recognise their connection to the ocean. “Our ancestors always traveled by water. We lost that for a time,” Tikoure states. “Today we’re reclaiming it again.” Canoes hold deep cultural importance in New Caledonia. They once symbolised travel, trade and clan alliances across islands, but those practices faded under foreign occupation and outside cultural pressures. Tradition Revival The initiative began in 2016, when the New Caledonia heritage ministry was exploring how to restore heritage vessel construction methods. Tikoure collaborated with the administration and after two years the canoe construction project – known as Kenu Waan project – was established. “The hardest part was not cutting down trees, it was convincing people,” he notes. Initiative Accomplishments The Kenu Waan project aimed to restore ancestral sailing methods, educate new craftspeople and use canoe-making to reinforce traditional heritage and island partnerships. So far, the organization has organized a showcase, issued a volume and enabled the construction or restoration of approximately thirty vessels – from Goro to Ponerihouen. Natural Resources Unlike many other Pacific islands where deforestation has limited wood resources, New Caledonia still has suitable wood for constructing major boats. “There, they often use synthetic materials. In our location, we can still work with whole trees,” he states. “That represents all the difference.” The canoes created under the program merge oceanic vessel shapes with Melanesian rigging. Academic Integration Beginning this year, Tikoure has also been instructing seafaring and ancestral craft methods at the educational institution. “It’s the first time this knowledge are taught at graduate studies. It goes beyond textbooks – this is knowledge I’ve personally undertaken. I’ve navigated major waters on these canoes. I’ve cried tears of joy doing it.” Pacific Partnerships Tikoure sailed with the members of the Uto ni Yalo, the heritage craft that traveled to Tonga for the oceanic conference in 2024. “Throughout the region, through various islands, this represents a unified effort,” he explains. “We’re restoring the sea collectively.” Political Engagement During the summer, Tikoure visited Nice, France to introduce a “Kanak vision of the marine environment” when he had discussions with Macron and other leaders. Before state and international delegates, he pushed for shared maritime governance based on local practices and participation. “It’s essential to include these communities – most importantly those who live from fishing.” Modern Adaptation Currently, when mariners from throughout the region – from Fiji, Micronesia and New Zealand – arrive in Lifou, they examine vessels together, adjust the structure and ultimately sail side by side. “We don’t just copy the traditional forms, we enable their progression.” Comprehensive Vision In his view, educating sailors and advocating environmental policy are interrelated. “It’s all about how we involve people: who is entitled to move across the sea, and who decides which activities take place there? Heritage boats function as a means to initiate that discussion.”