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Vaka Taumako Project
Mission Statement July, 2002

Project Goals    Vaka Taumako Project Goals, June, 1996 – Dec., 2005                          Goal 1) Build Authentic Polynesian Voyaging Canoes of the types called tepuke and tealolili using only traditional materials and methods. Tepuke carry heavy cargo, while tealolili are smaller, lighter, and faster, which make them good crew training vessels. Tepuke can carry tealolili as cargo for sale at other islands. Tealolili are capable of voyages within the Santa Cruz Group and throughout the S.W. Pacific region. Goal 2) Sail Ancient Voyaging Routes and Revive Trade Relationships within the Santa Cruz Group and beyond in order to demonstrate and revive ancient knowledge of self-reliant means of communication and prosperity between island peoples. Goal 3) Train a New Generation in Traditional Voyaging Skills and Values using each type of canoe. Training includes canoe-building, deep-sea sailing, navigation, weaving, carving, food and cargo preparation, safety at sea, weather prediction, protocols for ordering and paying for canoes and cargo, and for visiting and hosting voyagers, and spiritual negotiation of voyaging problems in planning and execution. Goal 4) Document the Process and Create an Archive of video, written, photo, and other educational materials and products for the benefit of nga Taumako, other Solomon Islanders, other Polynesians, serious researchers, and the public. Documentation and educational products include scholarly and popular articles, a book about the project, and an edited volume of stories and artwork by nga Taumako, and archival video productions. An archive of copies of all materials will be created at Taumako, and a backup copy of written, photographic and video materials will be lodged abroad. Goal 5) Produce Information and Educational Materials to foster nga Taumako educational goals and to bring world awareness of both the practical and spiritual nature of this ancient voyaging heritage, to produce articles and books, and to create an archive of voyaging knowleedge and documentation, including a multi-part archival video production. Goal 6) Initiate and Coordinate Cultural Exchanges between Taumako people and the outside world in order to revive ancient voyaging knowledge and wisdom, aid communication between nga Taumako and other Polynesians, and to increase world awareness of Polynesian seafaring traditions. Goal 7) Protect and Benefit the Taumako Community in the following ways: a) Make the world aware of nga Taumako voyaging knowledge and skills. b) Honor the copyright, intellectual property rights, and intangible heritage of Taumako. c) Assure that profits on all products of the project benefit the Taumako community. d) Train nga Taumako in the skills needed to document and publish and promote their own cultural knowledge.

 

Project Objectives    Vaka Taumako Project Objectives, July, 2002 – Dec., 2005                          Goal 1) Build and sail Authentic Polynesian Voyaging Canoes       Objectives:   • Build: Complete construction of a small tealolili by aTaumako delegation in Hawaii Build a canoehouse (halevaka) at Outer Reef Islands to shelter the tealolili and for crew training, maintenance, and other voyaging school activities. Add equipment to the halevaka (canoe house) at Taumako for safe archival storage, for maintenance activities, crew training, and for voyaging school activities and accomodation of visitors.   • Sail: Deliver the 5.5 fathom (10.2 meter) tealolili just completed at Taumako to Outer Reef Islands as a gift for them to learn with and use. Voyage the full-size tealolili within the Santa Cruz Group, to train crews Ideally each of the three canoes would be used on a voyage twice per year. Goal 2) Sail On Ancient Voyaging Routes and Revive Trade Relationships       Objectives: Take 2 voyages per year with each of the 2 canoes based at Taumako. Each time a voyage is undertaken the cargo includes exchange foods, goods, valuables, and marriage partners, as appropriate. Goal 3) Train a New Generation In Traditional Seafaring Skills and Values       Objectives: Create an ongoing school of voyaging with ongoing training and canoe maintenance apprentice programs, as well as community education and participation in building and sailing and navigation skills. The crews trained participate in voyages between islands within the Santa Cruz Group. In September or October, 2002, apprentices from Taumako deliver the new tealolili to Outer Reef Islands. Goal 4) Document the Process and Create An Archive       Objectives: Establish off-site backup storage and archive. Elaborate detailed policies for the protection and use of archival documents, tapes, and other materials. Preserve the super-8, hi-8, and ntsc footage that was shot in 1996-8 by transfer to betacam or digital format, and obtain copies of the digital footage that we paid professionals to shoot in 1998 but they have not provided. Enable Taumako video students continue to record each VTP activitiy and learn to edit their footage into educational products. Purchase of another student camera, computer, and software, for recording, logging, transfers, and editing. Taumako students log and edit the archival video footage toward creation of a four hour educational video showing every step of the building of the tepuke, Vaka Taumako, and a four hour educational video showing sailing and navigation methods. Goal 5) Produce Information and Educational Materials       Objectives: Write, edit, and self-publish a book account of the Vaka Taumako Project and it's results. Record, translate, and edit a volume of Taumako voyaging stories and art. Make a four hour archival product showing the building of voyaging canoes, and a four hour product on navigational and seafaring knowledge and it's transmission to Taumako students. Professional videographers give advanced training to Taumako students. Goal 6) Initiate and Coordinate Cultural Exchanges:       Objectives: Plan and initiate more cultural exchange visits between the people of Taumako and Hawaii, and other Polynesian islands, including: Fly five nga Taumako to Kaua'i to complete the building of the tealolili voyaging canoe and do trial sailing and interisland voyage, and to identify Polynesian navigation stars using planeterium facilties. Taumako youth and Hawaii youth exchange visits, and train each other in traditional knowledge. Goal 7) Protect and Benefit Taumako Community       Objectives: Founding and current agreeements honor Taumako copyright and profits from their cultural knowledge. The VTP continues to explore ways to better protect and promote Taumako interests in these matters, including correspondence and registration with United Nations and indigenous peoples initiatives worldwide.