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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 signified a deeply symbolic moment.

It was the inaugural voyage of a traditional canoe on Lifou in many decades, an occasion that united the island’s primary tribal groups in a uncommon display of togetherness.

Seafarer and campaigner Aile Tikoure was the driving force behind the launch. For the past eight years, he has overseen a project that seeks to restore heritage canoe building in New Caledonia.

Many heritage vessels have been constructed in an initiative intended to reunite Indigenous Kanak people with their oceanic traditions. Tikoure says the boats also promote the “beginning of dialogue” around sea access rights and environmental policies.

Global Outreach

In July, he journeyed to France and had discussions with President Emmanuel Macron, calling for ocean governance developed alongside and by Indigenous communities that honor their maritime heritage.

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

Traditional vessels hold profound traditional significance in New Caledonia. They once stood for mobility, exchange and clan alliances across islands, but those traditions diminished under colonial rule and religious conversion efforts.

Tradition Revival

His journey began in 2016, when the New Caledonia cultural authorities was considering how to restore ancestral boat-making techniques. Tikoure collaborated with the administration and following a two-year period the boat building initiative – known as Kenu Waan project – was launched.

“The hardest part wasn’t cutting down trees, it was gaining local support,” he explains.

Program Successes

The Kenu Waan project sought to revive heritage voyaging practices, train young builders and use vessel construction to enhance cultural identity and island partnerships.

So far, the group has produced an exhibition, released a publication and supported the construction or restoration of approximately thirty vessels – from the southern region to Ponerihouen.

Natural Resources

Unlike many other island territories where deforestation has reduced lumber availability, New Caledonia still has suitable wood for crafting substantial vessels.

“Elsewhere, they often use synthetic materials. Here, we can still carve solid logs,” he states. “It makes all the difference.”

The boats built under the Kenu Waan Project combine traditional boat forms with Melanesian rigging.

Academic Integration

Starting recently, Tikoure has also been instructing seafaring and ancestral craft methods at the University of New Caledonia.

“This marks the initial occasion these topics are taught at master’s level. It’s not theory – it’s something I’ve lived. I’ve sailed vast distances on traditional boats. I’ve cried tears of joy while accomplishing this.”

Regional Collaboration

Tikoure sailed with the crew of the traditional boat, the Pacific vessel that journeyed to Tonga for the regional gathering in 2024.

“Across the Pacific, through various islands, it’s the same movement,” he says. “We’re reclaiming the ocean collectively.”

Policy Advocacy

This past July, Tikoure journeyed to the French city to share a “Traditional understanding of the sea” when he conferred with Macron and government representatives.

Before state and foreign officials, he pushed for shared maritime governance based on local practices and community involvement.

“You have to involve them – especially people dependent on marine resources.”

Current Development

Today, when sailors from throughout the region – from Fiji, the Micronesian region and Aotearoa – arrive in Lifou, they analyze boats collectively, refine the construction and ultimately navigate in unison.

“It’s not about duplicating the traditional forms, we enable their progression.”

Comprehensive Vision

For Tikoure, instructing mariners and advocating environmental policy are interrelated.

“The core concept concerns community participation: who is entitled to move across the sea, and what authority governs which activities take place there? Heritage boats is a way to initiate that discussion.”