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This past October on Lifou island, a ancient-style canoe was pushed into the coastal lagoon – a small act that signified a profoundly important moment.

It was the maiden journey of a ancestral vessel on Lifou in generations, an event that assembled the island’s primary tribal groups in a uncommon display of togetherness.

Activist and sailor Aile Tikoure was instrumental in the launch. For the past eight years, he has led a program that works to resurrect ancestral vessel construction in New Caledonia.

Many heritage vessels have been constructed in an project intended to reunite local Kanak populations with their seafaring legacy. Tikoure states the boats also help the “beginning of dialogue” around sea access rights and ecological regulations.

Diplomatic Efforts

This past July, he journeyed to France and had discussions with President Emmanuel Macron, pushing for ocean governance shaped with and by Indigenous communities that honor their maritime heritage.

“Previous generations always traveled by water. We forgot that knowledge for a while,” Tikoure states. “Today we’re reclaiming it again.”

Heritage boats hold significant historical meaning in New Caledonia. They once represented movement, trade and clan alliances across islands, but those traditions diminished under colonisation and religious conversion efforts.

Cultural Reclamation

His journey commenced in 2016, when the New Caledonia cultural authorities was considering how to reintroduce ancestral boat-making techniques. Tikoure worked with the government and after two years the boat building initiative – known as Project Kenu Waan – was born.

“The most difficult aspect wasn’t cutting down trees, it was persuading communities,” he notes.

Program Successes

The program sought to revive heritage voyaging practices, educate new craftspeople and use boat-building to strengthen cultural identity and island partnerships.

So far, the organization has created a display, published a book and facilitated the building or renovation of around 30 canoes – from Goro to the northeastern coast.

Material Advantages

Unlike many other island territories where deforestation has diminished wood resources, New Caledonia still has appropriate timber for crafting substantial vessels.

“There, they often use modern composites. Locally, we can still craft from natural timber,” he states. “This creates a crucial distinction.”

The boats constructed under the program integrate traditional boat forms with local sailing systems.

Academic Integration

Starting recently, Tikoure has also been educating students in seafaring and heritage building techniques at the University of New Caledonia.

“This marks the initial occasion this knowledge are offered at master’s level. This isn’t academic – this is knowledge I’ve experienced. I’ve navigated major waters on these canoes. I’ve experienced profound emotion doing it.”

Island Cooperation

Tikoure sailed with the members of the Uto ni Yalo, the Pacific vessel that traveled to Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum in 2024.

“Across the Pacific, including our location, this represents a unified effort,” he explains. “We’re reclaiming the sea together.”

Policy Advocacy

In July, Tikoure visited Nice, France to present a “Indigenous perspective of the marine environment” when he met with Macron and other leaders.

Addressing official and foreign officials, he advocated for cooperative sea policies based on local practices and local engagement.

“We must engage them – particularly those who live from fishing.”

Contemporary Evolution

Today, when sailors from across the Pacific – from the Fijian islands, Micronesia and Aotearoa – come to Lifou, they examine vessels in cooperation, refine the construction and finally voyage together.

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

Comprehensive Vision

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

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