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During the autumn month of October on the island of Lifou, a ancient-style canoe was pushed into the coastal lagoon – a simple gesture that represented a profoundly important moment.

It was the inaugural voyage of a traditional canoe on Lifou in living memory, an occasion that assembled the island’s three chiefly clans in a rare show of unity.

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

Many heritage vessels have been constructed in an effort aimed at reconnecting native Kanak communities with their maritime heritage. Tikoure explains the boats also facilitate the “start of conversation” around sea access rights and conservation measures.

International Advocacy

This past July, he visited France and met President Emmanuel Macron, pushing for maritime regulations shaped with and by native populations that honor their relationship with the sea.

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

Traditional vessels hold deep cultural importance in New Caledonia. They once stood for travel, exchange and clan alliances across islands, but those traditions declined under foreign occupation and outside cultural pressures.

Heritage Restoration

This mission commenced in 2016, when the New Caledonia cultural authorities was exploring how to reintroduce ancestral boat-making techniques. Tikoure partnered with the government and after two years the vessel restoration program – known as the Kenu Waan initiative – was launched.

“The biggest challenge was not harvesting timber, it was gaining local support,” he notes.

Initiative Accomplishments

The Kenu Waan project aimed to restore heritage voyaging practices, educate new craftspeople and use vessel construction to reinforce community pride and island partnerships.

To date, the group has produced an exhibition, issued a volume and enabled the construction or restoration of nearly three dozen boats – from the far south to the northeastern coast.

Resource Benefits

Unlike many other oceanic nations where forest clearing has reduced wood resources, 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 says. “That represents a significant advantage.”

The canoes constructed under the initiative merge Polynesian hull design with regional navigation methods.

Teaching Development

Beginning this year, Tikoure has also been instructing maritime travel and heritage building techniques at the University of New Caledonia.

“For the first time ever this knowledge are included at master’s level. It’s not theory – this is knowledge I’ve personally undertaken. I’ve sailed vast distances on these canoes. I’ve experienced profound emotion during these journeys.”

Regional Collaboration

He traveled with the crew of the Uto ni Yalo, the Fijian canoe that traveled to Tonga for the oceanic conference in 2024.

“From Hawaii to Rapa Nui, from Fiji to here, we’re part of a collective initiative,” he states. “We’re reclaiming the maritime heritage as a community.”

Governance Efforts

This past July, Tikoure journeyed to Nice, France to present a “Traditional understanding of the marine environment” when he conferred with Macron and government representatives.

Before state and foreign officials, he argued for cooperative sea policies based on Kanak custom and community involvement.

“You have to involve local populations – particularly people dependent on marine resources.”

Current Development

Now, when sailors from throughout the region – from Fiji, Micronesia and New Zealand – visit Lifou, they analyze boats in cooperation, modify the design and ultimately navigate in unison.

“It’s not about duplicating the traditional forms, we help them develop.”

Integrated Mission

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

“The core concept concerns public engagement: who has the right to navigate marine territories, and what authority governs what occurs in these waters? Heritage boats is a way to initiate that discussion.”