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In October on Lifou island, a traditional twin-hulled vessel was set afloat in the lagoon – a simple gesture that signified a profoundly important moment.

It was the maiden journey of a heritage boat on Lifou in living memory, an event that united the island’s primary tribal groups in a rare show of unity.

Seafarer and campaigner Aile Tikoure was instrumental in the launch. For the past eight years, he has spearheaded a project that works to resurrect ancestral vessel construction in New Caledonia.

Numerous traditional boats have been built in an effort intended to reunite Indigenous Kanak people with their maritime heritage. Tikoure explains the boats also help the “beginning of dialogue” around ocean rights and ecological regulations.

International Advocacy

This past July, he travelled to France and had discussions with President Emmanuel Macron, pushing for marine policies developed alongside and by Indigenous communities that acknowledge their relationship with the sea.

“Our ancestors always crossed the sea. We forgot that knowledge for a while,” Tikoure explains. “Today we’re reclaiming it again.”

Canoes hold profound traditional importance in New Caledonia. They once symbolised movement, interaction and tribal partnerships across islands, but those traditions declined under colonial rule and outside cultural pressures.

Cultural Reclamation

The initiative began in 2016, when the New Caledonia heritage ministry was exploring how to bring back ancestral boat-making techniques. Tikoure collaborated with the administration and following a two-year period the vessel restoration program – known as Project Kenu Waan – was established.

“The most difficult aspect didn’t involve wood collection, it was persuading communities,” he explains.

Initiative Accomplishments

The Kenu Waan project aimed to restore heritage voyaging practices, mentor apprentice constructors and use boat-building to reinforce traditional heritage and regional collaboration.

So far, the group has produced an exhibition, issued a volume and supported the building or renovation of approximately thirty vessels – from the far south to the northern shoreline.

Natural Resources

In contrast to many other island territories where forest clearing has reduced timber supplies, New Caledonia still has proper lumber for carving large hulls.

“In other places, they often employ synthetic materials. In our location, we can still craft from natural timber,” he says. “That represents a significant advantage.”

The boats built under the initiative merge Polynesian hull design with local sailing systems.

Teaching Development

Beginning this year, Tikoure has also been instructing navigation and ancestral craft methods at the local university.

“This marks the initial occasion these topics are offered at master’s level. It’s not theory – this is knowledge I’ve lived. I’ve navigated major waters on these vessels. I’ve experienced profound emotion doing it.”

Regional Collaboration

Tikoure sailed with the crew of the Fijian vessel, the Pacific vessel that journeyed to Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum in 2024.

“From Hawaii to Rapa Nui, including our location, it’s the same movement,” he states. “We’re restoring the ocean together.”

Governance Efforts

During the summer, Tikoure travelled to Nice, France to present a “Kanak vision of the ocean” when he conferred with Macron and additional officials.

Addressing official and international delegates, he pushed for collaborative ocean management based on local practices and participation.

“We must engage these communities – especially people dependent on marine resources.”

Modern Adaptation

Currently, when mariners from across the Pacific – from the Fijian islands, the Micronesian region and New Zealand – come to Lifou, they examine vessels collectively, modify the design and ultimately sail side by side.

“We’re not simply replicating the old models, we help them develop.”

Holistic Approach

For Tikoure, instructing mariners and promoting conservation measures are connected.

“It’s all about how we involve people: what permissions exist to navigate marine territories, and what authority governs which activities take place there? The canoe is a way to start that conversation.”