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

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

by Mimi George and Catherine Downey When we think of the Cuban Revolution it is Che Guevara and Fidel Castro and the men who fought the Baptista Regime of totalitarianism. Little is mentioned of the roll of women. While on the bus to the western mountains of Cuba, we asked our guide “Can you speak to the role of women in the revolution?” He replied “Women began to fight beside the men in 1869—long before Fidel was born. During the late 1950s, Celie Sanchez was Fidel’s right h

Mimi and Meph have just returned from two busy and productive weeks in Solomon Islands. Here are a few highlights:For the last few months there was no communication with anyone at Duff Islands. In the best of times there can be intermittent radio contact between individuals at the Duff Islands and Lata or Honiara. But there has been none for the last several months, which is not unusual. So we all had a lot to talk about and plan. Mimi and Meph attended two Board of Direc

by Mimi George As “Gershon II” sails along the South African coast, I feel the part of what Genesis says is the meaning of Gershon – “a stranger in a strange land – always to be treated as family.” Yes, along this “wild coast” of South Africa we are embraced as family … and yes, the problems and challenges of the people here are all too familiar. The more I talk-story with Zulu, San, Xhosa, Indian, Africaner, Portuguese, Muslim, and other South African citizens, the more I s

Maritime, cultural, educational, and community organizations, why not bring the Vaka Taumako Project to your next event? VTP’S Mimi George and H. Meph Wyeth are available to give presentations on traditional Taumako canoe-building, Polynesian wayfinding & navigation, sustainable sea transportation,  the Story of Lata, life in the Solomon Islands, and other related subjects. Several people who have attended their recent Polynesian Voyaging: Image and Reality presentations have