Traditional outrigger canoes are being reborn in Tonga with a new carving programme teaching innovative ways to create canoes in a day, to help revive traditional fishing methods.

Fifty-eight people from Ha’apai completed a week-long training course in building outrigger canoes and oars at MORDI Tonga headquarters in Haveluloto, led by Master Carver, Sione Tu’ione Pulotu, last week.

The participants came from 23 communities and five districts in Ha’apai, and will return home with the canoes they have made to help their communities.

One of the participants was Town Officer, Lupeolo Kulikefu of Ha’ateiho Si’i from the Foa District.

Lupe said she and community members learned a great deal from the training and are confident they will be able to replicate the carving, if they have access to materials and tools at home.

She said that her community is dependent on fishing for their income but the people do not have any boats or outrigger canoes, and have been mainly casting nets and shallow water gleaning. They also hire boats from the Faleloa community, paying for it by cash or a portion of their catch, which is an extra burden for fishermen.

“If it wasn’t a good day fishing, the fisherman would lose much needed food for his household for that day.”

“The provision of the community outrigger canoe will remove this issue they face and will possibly provide income from any surplus in catch,” she said.

Another participant, ‘Ofa Tama’ofa from Fangale’ounga, Foa District said the canoes can assist in coastal travelling.

His community is located at the causeway linking Foa Island to Pangai Island, and at times when the waves get too high, it covers the causeway blocking any travel by vehicle.

“Currently the community owns a single outrigger canoe but that in itself has presented a challenge as a majority depend on fishing for their daily needs.”

Taking turns using the canoe and adapting to changing weather and tides has prevented many from fishing daily, he said.

“We make canoes back in the islands, but it is so time consuming. This training has shown me that there are innovative ways to create canoes in a day. This is knowledge that I am able to take back and share with my community.”

Reviving traditional fishing methods

District Officer of Lulunga, Kisione Taulani said the canoes have been highly anticipated by his district.

“I see so many people’s faces light up as we know that many traditional fishing methods can be revived as soon as we get our canoes, we have been slowly seeing canoes fading but now it is being re-introduced, it has so many potentials for our communities.”

“It can help people get to and from the larger ships without needing to swim to them. It is also exciting for our elderly fisherman who will have a chance to use this for fishing.”

He said the canoes will help fishermen and women to stay dry and many can use it for maka-feke, a traditional method of luring octopus where only an outrigger canoe can be used as opposed to motorized boats. His district has been using kayaks which limits fishing and the person using it is often drenched after an excursion.

Participants have stressed that canoe training should continue due to high interest from the outer islands.

Kisione said they know the value the canoes will add to their lives.

The canoe training course was made possible by local government, the  International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and MORDI Tonga.