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In October on Lifou, a ancient-style canoe was set afloat in the coastal lagoon – a seemingly minor event that represented a highly meaningful moment.

It was the maiden journey of a traditional canoe on Lifou in many decades, an occasion that brought together the island’s three chiefly clans in a uncommon display of togetherness.

Activist and sailor Aile Tikoure was behind the launch. For the past eight years, he has overseen a initiative that aims to revive ancestral vessel construction in New Caledonia.

Many heritage vessels have been crafted in an project designed to reconnect local Kanak populations with their seafaring legacy. Tikoure says the boats also facilitate the “beginning of dialogue” around ocean rights and environmental policies.

Global Outreach

In July, he travelled to France and conferred with President Emmanuel Macron, pushing for maritime regulations developed alongside and by Indigenous communities that honor their maritime heritage.

“Forefathers always crossed the sea. We forgot that knowledge for a time,” Tikoure explains. “Currently we’re rediscovering it again.”

Heritage boats hold deep cultural significance in New Caledonia. They once stood for movement, interaction and clan alliances across islands, but those traditions diminished under foreign occupation and outside cultural pressures.

Tradition Revival

The initiative started in 2016, when the New Caledonia heritage ministry was looking at how to restore traditional canoe-building skills. Tikoure collaborated with the authorities and two years later the vessel restoration program – known as Kenu Waan project – was born.

“The hardest part didn’t involve cutting down trees, it was gaining local support,” he notes.

Project Achievements

The program sought to revive traditional navigation techniques, train young builders and use boat-building to reinforce traditional heritage and regional collaboration.

So far, the team has created a display, issued a volume and supported the building or renovation of around 30 canoes – from Goro to Ponerihouen.

Resource Benefits

Different from many other Pacific islands where tree loss has diminished lumber availability, New Caledonia still has suitable wood for crafting substantial vessels.

“There, they often employ synthetic materials. Locally, we can still craft from natural timber,” he says. “That represents a crucial distinction.”

The vessels created under the Kenu Waan Project integrate Polynesian hull design with regional navigation methods.

Teaching Development

Beginning this year, Tikoure has also been educating students in maritime travel and ancestral craft methods at the educational institution.

“For the first time ever these subjects are offered at advanced education. It goes beyond textbooks – this is knowledge I’ve experienced. I’ve navigated major waters on these canoes. I’ve experienced profound emotion during these journeys.”

Regional Collaboration

He traveled with the team of the Uto ni Yalo, the heritage craft that sailed to Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum in 2024.

“Throughout the region, including our location, it’s the same movement,” he explains. “We’re taking back the ocean as a community.”

Policy Advocacy

In July, Tikoure journeyed to Nice, France to share a “Kanak vision of the marine environment” when he had discussions with Macron and other leaders.

Before state and overseas representatives, he pushed for cooperative sea policies based on Indigenous traditions and participation.

“We must engage these communities – especially fishing communities.”

Contemporary Evolution

Now, when navigators from across the Pacific – from the Fijian islands, Micronesia and New Zealand – arrive in Lifou, they examine vessels collectively, refine the construction and ultimately voyage together.

“We don’t just copy the old models, we help them develop.”

Holistic Approach

According to Tikoure, instructing mariners and promoting conservation measures are interrelated.

“The core concept concerns how we involve people: who has the right to move across the sea, and what authority governs what occurs in these waters? The canoe is a way to begin that dialogue.”