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This past October on Lifou island, a double-hulled canoe was set afloat in the turquoise waters – a simple gesture that signified a profoundly important moment.

It was the first launch of a traditional canoe on Lifou in many decades, an gathering that united the island’s main family lineages in a exceptional demonstration of solidarity.

Seafarer and campaigner Aile Tikoure was instrumental in the launch. For the past eight years, he has led a initiative that seeks to restore heritage canoe building in New Caledonia.

Many heritage vessels have been constructed in an initiative aimed at reconnecting native Kanak communities with their seafaring legacy. Tikoure says the boats also promote the “beginning of dialogue” around sea access rights and ecological regulations.

International Advocacy

In July, he visited France and met President Emmanuel Macron, calling for maritime regulations created in consultation with and by Indigenous communities that acknowledge their connection to the ocean.

“Previous generations always navigated the ocean. We forgot that knowledge for a time,” Tikoure says. “Now we’re finding it again.”

Heritage boats hold profound traditional meaning in New Caledonia. They once symbolised mobility, trade and tribal partnerships across islands, but those practices declined under colonial rule and missionary influences.

Cultural Reclamation

This mission began in 2016, when the New Caledonia heritage ministry was exploring how to restore ancestral boat-making techniques. Tikoure partnered with the authorities and following a two-year period the vessel restoration program – known as Project Kenu Waan – was launched.

“The biggest challenge wasn’t wood collection, it was persuading communities,” he explains.

Initiative Accomplishments

The initiative worked to bring back ancestral sailing methods, educate new craftspeople and use boat-building to enhance community pride and inter-island cooperation.

To date, the organization has organized a showcase, published a book and facilitated the building or renovation of around 30 canoes – from the far south to the northeastern coast.

Material Advantages

Different from many other oceanic nations where deforestation has reduced lumber availability, New Caledonia still has suitable wood for carving large hulls.

“In other places, they often use marine plywood. Here, we can still craft from natural timber,” he explains. “It makes a crucial distinction.”

The canoes constructed under the Kenu Waan Project merge Polynesian hull design with Melanesian rigging.

Academic Integration

Since 2024, Tikoure has also been instructing seafaring and traditional construction history at the University of New Caledonia.

“For the first time ever these subjects are taught at master’s level. It’s not theory – it’s something I’ve lived. I’ve navigated major waters on traditional boats. I’ve felt overwhelming happiness during these journeys.”

Regional Collaboration

He traveled with the team of the traditional boat, the Pacific vessel that traveled to Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum in 2024.

“From Hawaii to Rapa Nui, including our location, this represents a unified effort,” he says. “We’re reclaiming the ocean collectively.”

Policy Advocacy

This past July, Tikoure journeyed to Nice, France to present a “Kanak vision of the marine environment” when he met with Macron and additional officials.

In front of government and overseas representatives, he pushed for shared maritime governance based on Kanak custom and local engagement.

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

Current Development

Currently, when sailors from across the Pacific – from Fiji, the Micronesian region and New Zealand – come to Lifou, they analyze boats in cooperation, modify the design and finally sail side by side.

“We’re not simply replicating the ancient designs, we help them develop.”

Integrated Mission

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

“The fundamental issue involves how we involve people: who is entitled to navigate marine territories, and who determines what happens there? Traditional vessels is a way to start that conversation.”