Te Laa o Lata VTP’s Mimi George just had an article published in the Journal of the Polynesian Society, about measuring performance of an ancient Polynesian Sail – Te Laa o Lata. Read Mimi’s article here. Voyaging canoes were the vehicles of ancient Pacific exploration, settlement and interactions. However, we know little about the ocean-going performance of those vessels. This account of Taumako (Duff Islands) voyaging technology draws on 20 years of collaborative research i

by Mimi George Part One: Malama Honua, Gershon II and Rapanui I am a cultural anthropologist and sailor, focused on voyaging traditions. I study how ancient knowledge can help us today. I just crewed on the escort boat to the voyaging canoe (wa’a) Hokule’a during the penultimate leg of her Malama Honua (Care for the Planet) World-Wide Voyage. For the last three years the iconic Hawaiian double-hulled canoe has sailed round the world to “weave a lei” of “stories of hope,” as s

In 2005, ninety-six year old Paramount Chief Koloso Kaveia announced his plan to sail (holau) to Vanuatu on a TePuke. He had taught his students how to make short voyages. Now he wanted them to know what they would find if they went further. Kaveia’s family objected to the idea for a couple years, because of his age. In 2007 Kaveia told them “I am the son of Lata” (the Taumako culture hero who was the first voyager) and “I will die on this voyage.” Then his family accepted hi

Aims: Voyagers of Taumako, SE Solomon Islands will sail their ancient vessel to North Vanuatu because they want to: re-connect long separated families and communities re-open the ancient sea-roads of Austronesian and Polynesian voyagers renew trade and cultural sharing demonstrate ancient navigation methods and sustainable environmental practices document the voyage, and publish in print, web, and video dvd products. Dates: Starting November 1st the crew will stand by for the

We’re in Pacific Paddler Magazine this month.  Mahalo! #paddler #canoe #Vaka #solomon #tepuke #Taumako #pacific #Polynesian #SolomonIslands

We’re raising funds to help Taumako videographer Dixon Wia, who’s busy documenting the Polynesian voyaging traditions of his ancestors, in hopes of keeping them alive for new generations.   Dixon needs training and equipment to tell the story of his ancestors and keep ancient voyaging traditions from being lost.   Check us out our Kickstarter here. we’ve got are lots of great incentive gifts for backers, and you’ll be helping Dixon and the Taumako community keep the cameras r

Mimi and Meph helped welcome Hokule`a home on 17 June, and then exhibited at the Convention Center conference on ocean voyaging 18-20 June. Hokule’a completed her three year, world-wide, voyage. Canoes from several Pacific Islands arrived with them. Crews from several farflung islands came looking for support for building their own voyaging canoe and making voyages, and for accessing any sustainable sea transport to help them do it! Many told us that want Nga Taumako to train

LUOVA, TEMOTU PROVINCE: For the first time in over thirty years, a Taumako voyaging canoe arrived at Santa Cruz Island’s northwestern tip on Sunday, June 4. Captain Ambrose Miki and his gallant crew, James Mapua, Jonathan Mengo, Willie Lohia, and Harry Vanosi, sailed the tepuke from their home in the Duff Islands to demonstrate their Vaka Valo organization’s achievements and to celebrate Temotu Province’s Second Appointed Day on June 8. Tepuke under sail near Tinakula Island

by Meph Wyeth Mimi and Meph spent most of November in Solomons and, in Meph’s case, northern Vanuatu. They hoped to participate in Holau Vanuatu, a voyage from Taumako to Vanua Lava in the Banks Islands. Traditionally vaka would sail this route during November. riding the Patapu (northerly) wind, and waiting out the cyclone season before returning home in May or June. Originally planned for 2015, the voyage was scuttled by Cyclone Pam, which tore through Temotu Province and V

Come See how Ancient Polynesian Voyaging is still practiced today. Drs. Simon Salopuka and Mimi George of the Vaka Taumako Project of Solomon Islands present from 12 noon to 1PM, Sept 8. Everyone welcome! limited seating, pay parking available on UH campus, sponsored by East-West Center Pacific Islands Development Program & UH Manoa Center for Pacific Island Studies. Contrary to what has been thought for 45 years, there is a little known, unbroken Polynesian way finding trad

In this video, students at the Lata Voyaging School lash the riser box onto a traditional Te Puke voyaging canoe using coconut fiber cordage. Lata Voyaging School includes 54 men, 35 women, over 70 children, including 33 full time students. The students are young people who have no employment options and who are learning good work habits and practical skills. They labored 14,208 hours to complete this Te Puke, which will be named Vaka Causey at the launching, in honor of on

Aloha Tatou, The Vaka Taumako Project of Solomon Islands is preparing for a voyage from Taumako to Vanuatu in November, 2016. The aim of this voyage is to reunite the families who have been separated for over 70 years by a closed border. There are family members on both sides who have not seen each other all this time, and they plan to do it before they die. When this border re-opens for local residents then there will be a revival of regional community and people from both

by H. Meph Wyeth From 14-18 July, the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, hosted a combined conference on climate change and sustainable sea transport. Seafarers, government officials, and scientists from Europe, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Japan, and many Pacific island nations gathered to discuss strategies for coping with problems such as overfishing, sea level rise, extreme weather, and fossil fuel dependence in Oceania. Vaka Taumako Project Crew

Presented by Marianne George, Ph.D and Meph Wyeth Image and Reality in Polynesian Voyaging is a mesmerizing mixed media presentation of the Vaka Taumako Project.  Researchers George and Wyeth will show how icon images distort both scholarly and common representations.  They will present photos and video footage, some never before shown, of authentic Polynesian canoe building and sailing and how the wind-based Polynesian navigations system is used by Polynesians in the western

#penchansky #Voyaging #holau #Kaveia #trailer #Polynesian #video #vimeo #film #bbc

In addition to their vast knowledge of asterisms, wind, waves, and currents, sailors of the Duff and Reef Island groups make use of a unique phenomenon that has barely been documented, let alone witnessed by outside researchers. Te Lapa, literally “the flashing,” was first described as “underwater lightning” by Dr David Lewis in his book We, The Navigators. Chief Kaveia taught his students that these flashes travel on the surface of the ocean, and not underwater. On dar

Chief Kaveia with carving of his ancestor Lata Our aloha and condolences go out to family and friends of Paramount Chief Koloso Kaveia, founder of the Vaka Taumako Project, who recently passed away at his home. During his long and remarkable life, he touched many people in many parts of the world. In Solomon Islands, Germany, New Zealand, Hawai`i, England, Vanuatu, California, Fiji, and Japan live those who cherish his memory.  As befits someone with a wide network of acquain

A Preliminary Report by Dr. Marianne “Mimi” George Prepared for the National Science Foundation 2009 In the eight sections of this report are some detailed outlines of the data with some illustrations and photos provided in sections I, III, and VI. More general descriptions of data are provided for sections II, IV, V, VII, and VIII. In conclusion section IX offers observations as to how the data might prove or disprove our four hypotheses. General Hypotheses: Taumako navigat

III. NAVIGATION AND PILOTING USING TE LAPA – FLASHES OF LIGHT THAT EMANATE FROM LAND Elaborations on previously conveyed and demonstrated data was given by Kaveia several other people who took voyages. A summary list of distinct characteristics of Te Lapa and a complex diagram that has comparative value for Marshallese diagrams is given here. General Characteristics of Te Lapa: Light coming across the surface of the sea – Visible coming straight from land (including reefs) di

II. NAVIGATION USING SWELLS AND WAVES – “HOKOHUA LOA AND HOKOHUA KIKO” Data was elaborated that added to and built upon previously conveyed data (during 27 inter-island voyages in the Santa Cruz Group and between Taumako and New Zealand in small sailboats during 1993 – 2005). The new data includes various drawings and discussions of how one senses the phenomena and how widespread it is, and in three demonstrations at sea (outside the fringing reef) within 5 n.m. of Taumako du