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During the autumn month of October on the island of Lifou, a traditional twin-hulled vessel was launched into the turquoise waters – a seemingly minor event that represented a deeply symbolic moment.

It was the inaugural voyage of a traditional canoe on Lifou in many decades, an occasion that brought together the island’s primary tribal groups in a exceptional demonstration of solidarity.

Mariner and advocate Aile Tikoure was the driving force behind the launch. For the past eight years, he has overseen a project that seeks to restore ancestral vessel construction in New Caledonia.

Numerous traditional boats have been built in an initiative aimed at reconnecting native Kanak communities with their seafaring legacy. Tikoure states the boats also facilitate the “opening of discussions” around maritime entitlements and environmental policies.

International Advocacy

This past July, he journeyed to France and conferred with President Emmanuel Macron, calling for ocean governance developed alongside and by native populations that honor their connection to the ocean.

“Previous generations always navigated the ocean. We lost that for a time,” Tikoure explains. “Currently we’re rediscovering it again.”

Canoes hold significant historical meaning in New Caledonia. They once stood for movement, trade and clan alliances across islands, but those traditions faded under foreign occupation and outside cultural pressures.

Heritage Restoration

His journey started in 2016, when the New Caledonia government’s culture department was exploring how to reintroduce heritage vessel construction methods. Tikoure partnered with the government and after two years the boat building initiative – known as the Kenu Waan initiative – was established.

“The most difficult aspect was not harvesting timber, it was persuading communities,” he explains.

Project Achievements

The initiative worked to bring back heritage voyaging practices, educate new craftspeople and use boat-building to reinforce traditional heritage and inter-island cooperation.

Up to now, the organization has organized a showcase, issued a volume and facilitated the building or renovation of around 30 canoes – from the far south to the northeastern coast.

Natural Resources

Different from many other oceanic nations where tree loss has limited wood resources, New Caledonia still has proper lumber for carving large hulls.

“There, they often use modern composites. Locally, we can still carve solid logs,” he explains. “It makes a crucial distinction.”

The vessels built under the Kenu Waan Project combine oceanic vessel shapes with local sailing systems.

Teaching Development

Starting recently, Tikoure has also been educating students in maritime travel and ancestral craft methods at the University of New Caledonia.

“It’s the first time these topics are included at master’s level. This isn’t academic – these are experiences I’ve experienced. I’ve navigated major waters on traditional boats. I’ve experienced profound emotion doing it.”

Pacific Partnerships

He traveled with the team of the Uto ni Yalo, the Fijian canoe that journeyed to Tonga for the regional gathering in 2024.

“Across the Pacific, through various islands, it’s the same movement,” he states. “We’re restoring the maritime heritage collectively.”

Policy Advocacy

In July, Tikoure visited the French city to introduce a “Indigenous perspective of the sea” when he met with Macron and additional officials.

Before state and international delegates, he advocated for collaborative ocean management based on Indigenous traditions and participation.

“It’s essential to include local populations – most importantly those who live from fishing.”

Contemporary Evolution

Currently, when mariners from various island nations – from Fiji, the Micronesian region and New Zealand – visit Lifou, they analyze boats in cooperation, refine the construction and eventually voyage together.

“We don’t just copy the old models, we make them evolve.”

Comprehensive Vision

In his view, teaching navigation and promoting conservation measures are connected.

“The core concept concerns community participation: who has the right to travel ocean waters, and who determines which activities take place there? Traditional vessels serve as a method to begin that dialogue.”