Welcome to Vaka Valo Association

We would like to welcome you to the new Vaka Valo Association website. We are very excited to be able to provide you with up-to-date information about our Programs and what we do on Taumako, Duff Islands, Temotu Province of SE Solomon Islands, Western Pacific. Taumako people today still live a traditional life as practiced by our ancestors. We are the only indigenous group on Taumako who are actively building our traditional voyaging caones call Tepuke and Tealolili and voyage them using ancient navigation techniques. We are not associating with any other organisation. In collaboration with Taumako Indigenous Knowledge Institution AKA TIKI, we are looking forward to enrol students into our voyaging programs in 2023. Watch this page for our future events and programs or contact us if you need further informations.

Our Program Schedules for 2021 to 2026.

• 2021 Heihei Lavoi Phase I: Restoring multi-island reciprocity through enlivening of the Tepuke voyaging canoe to enhance resource sharing, building partnership with bigger islands in preparation for inter-island voyaging. Activities accomplished during the period June to October 2021. We have established Partnerships with Nemba village of Santa Cruz Island, Baro Village of East Makira, builders and voyagers of Lapita Tikopia and Anuta, Vanikoro and Utupua, Veakau Islands ongoing relationship and Sola Island of TORBA Province of Vanuatu. Assesment of the Tepuke now rotten on Vanikoro Island was also done.

• 2021 Heihei Lavoi Phase II: Taumako community awareness for the construction of the new Tepuke. Accomplished October 2021 to February 2022.

• 2022 Heihei Lavoi Phase III: Construction of the new Tepuke on Taumako. As of October 2022 70 percent of the Tepuke had been completed. We are hoping to complete the Tepuke soon.

       Ongoing Fundraising for the following future programs.

• 2023 Holau Veakau and inter-island of Taumako: Sailing around Taumako including Lua, Haiava and Bilepi islands as a training session of students in deep sea voyaging and preparation for Holau Veakau in the next trade wind season, a good Te Ngarae occuring between July to September.

• 2023 Restoration of Veakau Voyaging culture: Build a Tealoli voyaging canoe from the Plopulo Tree identified on Matema Island in 2021. Train 5 youths from each island of Nifiloli, Matema, Pileni, Nukapu and Nupani in the construction and ancient navigational techniques. The voyaging knowledge acquired will provide sustaible transportation and eco-culture tourism to generate income. Veakau and Taumako are inter-related, share similar cultures and sepak Taumako-Pileni dialect. It was late Te Aliki Kaveia and Master Navigator Jonas Hollani's plan to restore voyaging culture in this part of the region and the Santa Cruz group.

• 2023 to 2024: Setting up of the High- Frequency Emergency and Rural Multimedia Exchange System (HERMES). This system uses a two-way radio and Rhizomatica set up to access digital telecommunication where photos, videos.text, articles, information and updates on weather, education, health, covid-19, cyclone, tsunami, ship and OBM travelling in and out from the islands etc.. are updated and students can post on the website and social media pages about the Tepuke voyaging and related voyaging activities. The system will link Taumako, Lata and Veakau Islands to the control centre in Honiara.

• 2024: Holau Vanuatu a voyage of family Re-union and restoring the ancient trade route between Temotu Islands in SE Solomon Islands and Northern Islands of Vanuatu TORBA Province. Repair or restore the Tepuke at Vanikoro, Usili Village and sail to Vanuatu on the November to December Te Palapu wind. On the next trade wind season in July to August, the crew will fly to Sola island of Vanuatu to repair the Tepuke and sail it back to Taumako.

• 2025 to 2026: Contsruction of Building infrstructures of Taumako Indigenous Knowledge Institution (TIKI) to provide accommodation, office and shelter voyaging canoes and Models, other traditional items and working site for students and teachers.

• 2025: Holau Makira and Honiara: Voyage from Taumako to Makira Island and Honiara on the next trade wind season and in preparation at Honiara to attend the World Expo at Osaka, Japan.

• 2025: World Expore, Osaka, Japan between 13 th April to 13th October 2025 : Taumako youths to show case their tradition including voyaging culture at the expo by demonstrating how to build a Tepuke model size canoe. Local Material will be exported prior to the start of the expo or ideally sail a Tepuke from Taumako to Honiara in preparation for the Osaka, Japan world expo.

• 2026:  Construction of a Vaka Lua voyaging canoe. This a double Hull Tepuke voyaging canoe with shelter and enough space and capacity to accommodate more than 10 passengers and cargoes. It is an ideal size voyaging canoe to provide sustainble transportation between Taumako, Reef Islands, Veakau and Santa Cruz Islnd. When constructed, it will be the first Vaka Lua being built on Taumako.

We are currently building this website and we are hoping that you will enjoy learning of what we are doing. We will be sending out regular notifications to keep you updated with the many events and programs we have planned to do. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need further information.