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This past October on Lifou island, a traditional twin-hulled vessel was set afloat in the lagoon – a small act that marked a deeply symbolic moment.

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

Mariner and advocate Aile Tikoure was behind the launch. For the previous eight-year period, he has spearheaded a initiative that works to resurrect traditional boat making in New Caledonia.

Numerous traditional boats have been crafted in an effort aimed at reconnecting native Kanak communities with their oceanic traditions. Tikoure says the boats also promote the “opening of discussions” around sea access rights and environmental policies.

International Advocacy

In July, he visited France and had discussions with President Emmanuel Macron, pushing for maritime regulations developed alongside and by Indigenous communities that honor their relationship with the sea.

“Forefathers always traveled by water. We lost that for a period,” Tikoure says. “Currently we’re rediscovering it again.”

Canoes hold deep cultural meaning in New Caledonia. They once symbolised movement, interaction and tribal partnerships across islands, but those practices diminished under foreign occupation and religious conversion efforts.

Cultural Reclamation

The initiative commenced in 2016, when the New Caledonia heritage ministry was exploring how to bring back ancestral boat-making techniques. Tikoure partnered with the government and two years later the vessel restoration program – known as the Kenu Waan initiative – was established.

“The hardest part was not wood collection, it was gaining local support,” he says.

Initiative Accomplishments

The Kenu Waan project worked to bring back ancestral sailing methods, train young builders and use boat-building to strengthen traditional heritage and inter-island cooperation.

So far, the group has created a display, published a book and facilitated the creation or repair of nearly three dozen boats – from Goro to Ponerihouen.

Natural Resources

Unlike many other island territories where tree loss has limited lumber availability, New Caledonia still has appropriate timber for carving large hulls.

“There, they often use marine plywood. Locally, we can still craft from natural timber,” he explains. “That represents a crucial distinction.”

The canoes constructed under the initiative integrate traditional boat forms with Melanesian rigging.

Teaching Development

Starting recently, Tikoure has also been teaching seafaring and traditional construction history at the local university.

“This marks the initial occasion this knowledge are included at advanced education. This isn’t academic – these are experiences I’ve experienced. I’ve sailed vast distances on these vessels. I’ve cried tears of joy during these journeys.”

Pacific Partnerships

He traveled with the team of the traditional boat, the Pacific vessel that sailed to Tonga for the regional gathering in 2024.

“Throughout the region, from Fiji to here, this represents a unified effort,” he states. “We’re restoring the ocean collectively.”

Policy Advocacy

During the summer, Tikoure visited the European location to introduce a “Indigenous perspective of the sea” when he had discussions with Macron and government representatives.

In front of government and overseas representatives, he argued for cooperative sea policies based on local practices and participation.

“We must engage them – particularly people dependent on marine resources.”

Contemporary Evolution

Today, when sailors from across the Pacific – from the Fijian islands, Micronesia and Aotearoa – come to Lifou, they analyze boats together, adjust the structure and finally sail side by side.

“We don’t just copy the ancient designs, we help them develop.”

Holistic Approach

According to Tikoure, instructing mariners and supporting ecological regulations are connected.

“The fundamental issue involves public engagement: who has the right to navigate marine territories, and what authority governs what occurs in these waters? The canoe is a way to start that conversation.”