The Ministry of Tourism has officially unveiled the Vaka Lautala Canoe Project.
The canoe was launched yesterday at Faua Wharf (American Wharf) by Minister Hon. Mo’ale Finau, Tourism CEO Viliami Takau, and NZ High Commissioner Matthew Howell, among others.
The initiative, launched in January 2025, seeks to revive Tongan canoe-building traditions through a 17-metre kalia, intended to sail from Tongatapu to Hā‘ano in Ha‘apai this month.
The canoe was crafted by master builders Sitiveni Fehoko and ‘Isikeli Fehoko, working alongside artisans from Fehoko Arts.
The finished canoe was a combination of Sitiveni’s carving skills, his brother ‘Isikeli’s boat-making skills together with their skilled workers at Fehoko Arts.
The Ministry’s Culture Division drove the project as part of a wider push to preserve and promote indigenous heritage.
This voyage highlights Tonga’s commitment to cultural resilience and showcases its seafaring traditions, drawing parallels with Polynesian voyaging projects such as Te Au o Tonga and Marumaru Atua.
