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In October on the island of Lifou, a ancient-style canoe was set afloat in the turquoise waters – a simple gesture that marked a deeply symbolic moment.

It was the inaugural voyage of a heritage boat on Lifou in generations, an occasion that united the island’s three chiefly clans in a exceptional demonstration of solidarity.

Mariner and advocate Aile Tikoure was behind the launch. For the previous eight-year period, he has spearheaded a project that aims to revive ancestral vessel construction in New Caledonia.

Numerous traditional boats have been built in an effort designed to reconnect local Kanak populations with their maritime heritage. Tikoure says the boats also promote the “opening of discussions” around ocean rights and ecological regulations.

International Advocacy

This past July, he travelled to France and met President Emmanuel Macron, advocating for marine policies shaped with and by Indigenous communities that recognise their maritime heritage.

“Our ancestors always crossed the sea. We lost that for a period,” Tikoure explains. “Currently we’re rediscovering it again.”

Heritage boats hold profound traditional significance in New Caledonia. They once symbolised mobility, exchange and clan alliances across islands, but those customs faded under colonisation and outside cultural pressures.

Tradition Revival

The initiative started in 2016, when the New Caledonia cultural authorities was looking at how to reintroduce ancestral boat-making techniques. Tikoure worked with the government and after two years the canoe construction project – known as Project Kenu Waan – was launched.

“The hardest part didn’t involve wood collection, it was convincing people,” he notes.

Project Achievements

The program sought to revive heritage voyaging practices, mentor apprentice constructors and use canoe-making to reinforce cultural identity and regional collaboration.

So far, the team has produced an exhibition, issued a volume and facilitated the creation or repair of nearly three dozen boats – from the far south to Ponerihouen.

Resource Benefits

Different from many other oceanic nations where deforestation has reduced timber supplies, New Caledonia still has proper lumber for constructing major boats.

“There, they often work with synthetic materials. Locally, we can still work with whole trees,” he says. “That represents a significant advantage.”

The canoes built under the program combine oceanic vessel shapes with Melanesian rigging.

Academic Integration

Since 2024, Tikoure has also been educating students in maritime travel and traditional construction history at the local university.

“For the first time ever this knowledge are included at master’s level. It goes beyond textbooks – it’s something I’ve experienced. I’ve sailed vast distances on traditional boats. I’ve felt overwhelming happiness doing it.”

Pacific Partnerships

He voyaged with the team of the Fijian vessel, the Fijian canoe that journeyed to Tonga for the oceanic conference in 2024.

“From Hawaii to Rapa Nui, from Fiji to here, this represents a unified effort,” he states. “We’re reclaiming the sea together.”

Policy Advocacy

In July, Tikoure visited the French city to introduce a “Traditional understanding of the marine environment” when he conferred with Macron and additional officials.

Before state and foreign officials, he pushed for collaborative ocean management based on local practices and community involvement.

“We must engage local populations – especially fishing communities.”

Current Development

Currently, when mariners from various island nations – from the Fijian islands, Micronesia and New Zealand – arrive in Lifou, they analyze boats in cooperation, refine the construction and ultimately navigate in unison.

“We’re not simply replicating the traditional forms, we enable their progression.”

Holistic Approach

According to Tikoure, teaching navigation and supporting ecological regulations are linked.

“The fundamental issue involves community participation: what permissions exist to navigate marine territories, and who decides what happens on it? The canoe is a way to begin that dialogue.”