Vaka Taumako Project Awarded Grand Prize

The International Maritime Film Festival in Bucksport Maine recently awarded “We, the Voyagers” Parts 1 and 2 its Grand Prize for feature films.

These 2 films, each about 55 minutes long, were produced by the Pacific Traditions Society, headquartered on Kaua`i, to record the efforts of Taumako people in the Solomon Islands to preserve and teach their ancient voyaging culture.

Nga Taumako may be the only Polynesians who still know how to build and sail canoes like the ones their ancestors used to explore and colonize the Pacific.

Part 1, Our Vaka, documents the construction of these canoes, which, unlike Hokule’a and other modern replicas, incorporate only traditional plant materials.

Part 2, Our Moana, recounts a voyage and includes a section on some of the ancient navigational methods used by Taumako voyagers. Both films are available for viewing online at www.vaka.org. They are also accessible through the Vaka Taumako Facebook site.