Vaka Taumako Project
  Project Newsletter, October 1, 2006      

by Mimi George, Principal Investigator of the VTP

  Accomplisments during the last ten years:      

Right now the Vaka Taumako Project has one te puke and two te alolili canoes sitting in the Halevaka at Kahula, Taumako ... available for seagoing. The main hull of another small te alolili at the home of Michael and Sondra Grace in Anahola, Kaua'i awaits the addition of an outrigger and superstructure. In the past ten years, a group of young and middle aged Taumako people has acollectively learned to do every step in construction of these canoes. The VTP has a database of over 70 hours of video tape, 12 hours of audio interviews, and dozens of articles by Mimi, Meph, and others. (You can find information on these in the Bibliography section of this website.) We also have drafts and plans for two books and a TV series about Taumako voyaging knowledge and traditions. Close relationships between people of Hawaii and Taumako have evolved over 13 years of sharing and working on helping Paramount Chief Kaveia and his community. There is also a lot of good will between Taumako people and people from all around the world who have given support and/or who stand ready to help. These are the accomplishments of the Vaka Taumako Project today. It is thanks to all of you who have generously aided us during these years that we have come so far. Oli atu to you all!

  What remains to be done:      

The most important VTP goals are:

1.	to restart the Lata Navigation School at Taumako by initiating and maintaining a regular program of sail and navigation training for the next generation of traditional Polynesian voyagers. This is the most time-consuming, difficult, and hazardous component of Chief Kaveia's program. It is also the most critical. The skills that navigators and sailors like Chief Kaveia possess cannot be learned from books or university courses; apprentices must go to sea with the old men and women who can still teach them. Each time one of these old people dies without passing on her/his knowledge, that knowledge is gone.
2.	to bring a crew of nga Taumako back to Hawaii to complete the te alolili voyaging canoe that they started in 1999, and to demonstrate its use by sailing inter-island in Hawaii where people of the outside world can see it for the first time and the world media can report it.
3.	to complete production work on book and video documentation projects
4.	to engage the Solomon Island attorneys to protect intellectual property rights and intangible heritage of Taumako voyaging traditions. This has been a goal of the VTP since its inception, but political problems in the Solomon Islands, including a general breakdown of the judicial system, have frustrated our previous attempts. The return of relative stability to the nation should enable us to achieve this.
5.	to initiate a navigation training workshop between Paramount Chief Kaveia and his students and a navigator from the Puluwat in the Central Carolines and his students...the next step in the cultural exchange program. This is important because these are the two areas in the Pacific where people that have and use fully traditional navigation knowledge today. Such a meeting of equals could truly be called an exchange; previous visits have involved unilateral transmission of knowledge from the Taumako to outsiders. We look forward to seeing what will happen when the experts get together face to face!

  A brief review of recent developments:      

For several years now we have been frustrated in our attempts to gain our objectives because of local effects of civil disorder in the country. VTP members have faced constant attempts at extortion and graft, and frequent threats and interference by a few corrupt officials and politicians in Temotu Province. Fortunately, just this year, and especially following the April riots in Honiara, the government of Solomon Islands backed by the RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands) has begun to make efforts to get the government, and especially the court system, back into working order. Since the judiciary has been in disarray for over a decade, this is a major achievement.

In early February, 2006, Mimi George flew to Honiara for a week of sharing and planning with Paramount Chief Kaveia, Mostyn Vane, Walter Nubao and a host of others from Duff Islands. We stayed at the home of Dr. Simon Salopuka, an energetic Taumako man who heads the new Honiara committee for the Vaka Taumako Project. Stalwart supporter Captain Luke Vaikawi and his family, and several more Duffs travelers staying at Luke's nearby home, were often in attendance.

It was difficult to stomach spending short resources on this get-together, but it was necessary because of continuing difficulties caused by the two politicians who have taken advantage of the Duff community from the first year of the Vaka Taumako Project, and actually for over sixteen years prior to the beginning of the Vaka Taumako Project. Their motives appear to be greed for the vast sums of money that they imagine the VTP will generate, and jealousy of Chief Kaveia.

Last year, these two convinced a couple of provincial officials that they should support their efforts to stop the VTP canoes from sailing, stop the cultural exchange from being completed in Hawaii, give them large amounts of money for doing things they did not actually do, and cede them control of the VTP itself.

To further this last aim one of the politicians began to pretend that he replaced Paramount Chief Kaveia by way of an "election" early in 2005. The traditional way to replace a Paramount Chief (P.C.) of Duff Islands is that the P.C. Himself appoints the next P.C. before he dies. Therefore a P.C. cannot be selected by election. Yet the pretender suddenly called a n election, putting himself forward as a candidate for the post!

Not only did he organize an illegal election, but he threatened Chief Kaveia's supporters with violence if they did not vote for the usurper. Just in case threats would not do the job, he ensured his own election by preventing Chief Kaveia from setting up a ballot box for himself.

(It is worth noting, for the benefit of those who have never experienced elections on Taumako how the process works. Many Solomon Island voters cannot read or write well enough to mark a ballot. Each candidate therefore adopts an easily recognizable symbol such as a coconut tree, fish, pipe, soccer ball, etc. In the polling place s/he sets up a ballot box bearing her/his logo. Supporters simply drop their ballots in their candidate's box. All this is done in full view of the entire community. The secret ballot as citizens of modern democracies know it effectively does not exist in the Solomons.)

Having declared himself elected to the position of Paramount Chief, this man and his collaborator in the national government spread lies and misinformation about the VTP among officials in both Temotu Province and the capital. Not content with causing trouble for project members in the Solomons, these two even sent letters to supporters in Hawai`i announcing that the "new Paramount Chief" had taken control of VTP, and asking them to send him money!

We still managed to carry out a program in Taumako and Nifiloli during June - August, 2005. As those who accompanied us can attest, however, we could have accomplished far more if dealing with lies, threats, and demands for money had not sapped our resources. It was clear that nothing short of legal action would stop the harrassment.

Therefore, in February, 2006, we engaged two lawyers and began the process of submitting legal cases against the offenders. Between then and July, I and H. M. Wyeth, with Duffs counterparts, each submitted two cases. Members of the Duffs community submitted at least ten others, and more have followed. These are serious cases that will be heard in both the criminal and high courts. In July, 2006, a RAMSI boat attempted to bring a magistrate to Duffs to hear the criminal cases, but had to turn back because of big seas and winds. Hearings have been re-scheduled for October. The high court cases are still under investigation and should soon be assigned court dates in Honiara. Other cases, including that of the impersonation of the Paramount Chief, are suitable for the "local" or "custom" court. Because the local court system is in most disarray in Solomons, it could be quite some time before court dates for these are set.

August 15 - 21, 2006, H. Meph Wyeth and myself met again with members of Duffs Vaka Taumako Project and with our lawyers and various officials in Honiara. We were interviewed by police investigators and gave additional evidence as requested. I am happy to report that our cases are in good hands and we are hopeful that justice will be served in the courts. We were also assured by the new Police Commander of Temotu, who was last year quite innocently confused by the lies of our two politicians and had threatened to arrest us then, that we may go ahead with our programs because the evidence we provided showed that our activities and our research permit are perfectly legal.

As reported earlier, the wind and seas in July and August prevented any seagoing ... or even preparation of the two canoes. The wind blew in Temotu at fifty (50) knots for weeks at a time from the tradewind direction! On a positive note, however, I can report that during this last week in Honiara the VTP took its first steps toward a September startup of our long frustrated VTP sail training programs - the Lata Navigation School and the April - June, 2007 completion of the te alolili canoe in Hawaii.

96 year old P. C. Kaveia is not getting any younger and it is urgent that some sail training occur a.s.a.p. So, long time aide to P. C. Kaveia in the VTP, Solomon Island Patrol Boat Captain Luke Vaikawi, plans to take leave from work and go home to Duffs on first available transport after September 27. His goal is to help P. C. Kaveia to prepare two voyaging canoes (vaka) and sail them to Nifiloli. One of these te alolili is a gift to the Vaeakau people for use in sail training and this one will be turned over to them at this time. At least one of the other vaka will sail on to one or two Polynesian settlements in Santa Cruz. The people of these settlements are interested in joining into the voyaging activities.

In one of these places Meph, Dr Salopuka, a representative of the Ministry of Education, and I, plan to meet up with the vaka in late November. Meph and I and Dr. Salopuka plan to join a crew for the voyage back to Taumako or between Polynesian settlements. P.C. Kaveia and I plan to complete enough documentation of the "wind compass" that the first published account of this traditional Polynesian navigation system may be posted on the website before the new year. This will necessarily be a preliminary document, but we hope to follow it with extensive explanations.

In other breakthrough news, thanks to the generosity of Carol Lovell and her staff, the Vaka Taumako Project will be featured in an exhibit to be opened at in the Senda gallery of the Kaua'i Museum in late April or early May, 2007. This exhibit will be entitled "Sailing with Lata: the Original Polynesian Voyager" Displays will include the lauhala sail woven for the te alolili being made on Kaua'i, photos and video showing the steps of building, lashing, and sailing the completely traditional voyaging canoes of Taumako, implements, tools and woven items that are in daily use on Taumako, illustrated episodes from the the story of Lata, and explanations of how to use the wind compass to navigate. When we have set the opening date, we shall post it on this site. We hope many of you will join us for the public opening.

We also hope to bring a crew of builders and navigators from Taumako to Kaua'i during April, 2007 to attend the exhibition opening and to complete the te alolili that was started in Anahola several years ago. When the vaka is ready to sail the Taumako will give demonstrations by sailing it inter-island in Hawaii before they depart Hawaii and leave the vaka for use in Hawaii .

Now we are fund-raising for support to carry out these programs. The canoes will go sailing no matter what occurs in court during October. We will take photos during November and December for posting on this website. We will also do our best to fill requests for te puke models, paddles, mats, carvings, baskets, shell money jewelry, etc.

Donations are tax-deductible as allowable by law. Checks should be made out to the Vaka Taumako Project, and I will provide you a copy of our IRS determination letter. Any questions or comments may reach me at email address  vaka@aloha.net

Once again, thank you all for your continued support.

me ke aloha pau`ole, Mimi

The House of Saolpuka pit crew hard at work!

Kimo Campbell generously donated marine radio equipment to enable the Honiara VTP committee, based at Salopuka House, to communicate directly with Taumako. Here one of the VTP scholarship students helps install a solar panel that will power the radio.

To help the VTP community development program, the Project is providing two Taumako students with scholarships. One of them is studying nursing, the other accounting and management. These young men have agreed to return to Taumako upon completion of their studies and use their skills to benefit the community. They are also doing community service in Honiara by helping teach literacy to two women who work in Dr. Salopuka's household.

Mimi with the newly-installed radio.

On 11 August, 2006, Meph paid a visit to 'Imiloa, the new Mauna Kea astronomy center in Hilo. Its name (Far-seeking) was well chosen. This state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to teaching both ancient and modern science. Hands-on exhibits allow people to explore the universe in a variety of ways.

Meph had received an invitation to the center because one of her photos of Chief Kaveia appears in 'Imiloa's canoe voyaging section. We show a few pictures of that display, so that fans of the VTP can look out for the Chief's portrait on the wall of Polynesian voyagers.

'Imiloa is easy to reach from downtown Hilo; it stands on the hill overlooking the University of Hawai`i campus. From Hilo airport, it takes about ten minutes to drive there. We highly recommend a visit. Not only is the physical structure impressive, but the staff is friendly and eager to guide visitors through the many thought-provoking exhibits. Next time you are in Hilo, try to spend some time there. We think you will be glad you did.