Rebuilding the Tongiaki [1]
Thursday, June 1, 2000 - 10:00. Updated on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 - 18:19.
From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 2, June 2000.
Most people have seen a Tongiaki, the ancient Tongan long distance sea voyaging canoes, only in books. But Dr Larry Read of Vaimalo, Vava’u, pictured holding a drawing of a Tongiaki, is going to build a Tongiaki exactly the same as the one in his book.
Dr Read said that his Tongiaki project was, “purely for commercial purposes—to take people out on voyages throughout the Vava’u islands, and even on whale watching trips.” Dr Read believed that a Tongiaki would be a major contribution to the development of tourism in Vava’u.
Dr Read is a native of California, USA, who has been living in Vava’u during the past six years. A zoologist by profession, he was a lecturer at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, for 10 years before he moved to Vava’u.
He said that when he first visited Vava’u during the late 1970s, he knew straight away that the university was going to lose him, because he felt in love with the place. He moved to Vava’u, married, built a home and raised a family.
He said his major concern with the development of Vava’u is with the environment.