The Vaka Taumako Project

Hale Vaka Opens in Taumako From Pacific Paddler Magazine A CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION:   Open House in Taumako       DATELINE: DUFF ISLANDS, Temoto Province, eastern Solomon Islands. Sunday 24 March was a red letter day for the people of Taumako, Duff Islands: The official opening of the new community Hale Vaka (canoe house). The best seat not in the house: Boys watch the celebration. Perhaps these youngsters, Lata's heirs, will one day sail out in the wake of their ancestor They had good reason to celebrate. This massive structure, built entirely of traditional plant materials, may be the biggest man-made thing on any island in Temotu. It's 16 meter long main hall certainly dwarfs every building on Taumako, including the island's stone and coral church. The New Hale Vaka. This is the canoe shed; the small annex serves as a storage and sleeping room.

Planted at Kahula village, home turf of Lata, the Polynesian culture hero also known as Rata, La'a, and Laka, the hale vaka embodies the Taumako people's commitment to preserve and teach their ancient canoe voyaging culture. According to their oral history, Lata was born at Taumako and built his first voyaging canoe there. He then sailed off, never returning. When Lata's descendent Paramount Chief Koloso Kaveia started the Vaka Taumako Project in 1996, many people spoke of this effort to revive traditional building and seafaring skills as Lata's homecoming. Now he even has a house to come back to! This statement contains more than fancy. In Taumako tradition, a voyaging canoe embodies Lata, the first man to build one. Its elegant delta-winged sail represents Lata standing with his arms outspread to catch the wind. On both ends of its hull canoe builders carve Lata's face, which looks up to the sky to watch the wind, and also peers forward and backward. Lata thus not only the powers of fore- and hindsight, but also propels his own canoe through time and space. Providing a home for his canoe is a fitting way to welcome Lata and the knowledge he holds back to his birthplace. Dressed in traditional kabilato (loincloths) in honor of the occasion, a crew takes the Vaka Taumako on a ceremonial sail around Kahula's lagoon. The small island at the left is where Lata was born.

The interior of the main hall showing the traditional sago thatching and massive hand hewn beams. Lacking such refinements as sawmills and power tools, men of Taumako cut each of these posts by ax and adze, carried it on their shoulders from the forest, heaved it into place using human muscle power alone. Dr Mimi George (in red pareau) shows members of a German video team the Vaka Taumako tepuke (voyaging canoe) in its new home. Typical Taumako transport: This family canoe carries everything but the kitchen sink (and would probably that as well, if anyone on Taumako had a kitchen sink). The older man seated second from right is Nathaniel Leiau, a master canoe builder and sailor, who is bringing his family to celebrate the hale vaka's official opening. To learn more about the Taumako people and the Vaka Taumako ("a canoe for Taumako") Project, browse through this website or contact Dr. Mimi George at the address above.

Vaka Taumako Project of the Pacific Traditions Society PO Box 1561 Kapa`au, HI 96755 Phone (808) 936-8462     FAX    (808) 823-6741     Email:  george.mimi@gmail.com The Vaka Taumako Project operates under the aegis of the Pacific Traditions Society, a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. Monetary and some other donations are tax-deductible in the USA. In Germany, donations for the VTP are tax deductible if you donate to the Verein zur Frderung kultureller Traditionen (a non-profit organisation) under the key word "Vaka Taumako Project". For address and bank account information see  www.traditionen.org The Vaka Taumako Project Contact Dr. Mimi George, Principal Investigator Mailing address: Dr. Mimi George and Paramount Chief K. Kaveia P.O. Box 1561, Kapa`au, HI 96755 USA e-mail:  george.mimi@gmail.com (Phone 001 808 936 8462) H. M. Wyeth, Permanent Secretary (Phone 001 808 822 0647, FAX 001 808 823 6741) Larry Williamson, President, The Pacific Traditions Society To get onto our mailing list and/or to send in a contribution, please mail your name, address, e-mail address, and phone / fax to Mimi George at the address above.

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Updated 09/15/11