1
Holau Kaveia: Ancient Searoad to the Future
Paramount Chief of Taumako Island, and Master Polynesian Navigator
Koloso Kaveia passed away August 27, 2009. Chief Kaveia devoted
much of his life to training a new generation in voyaging skills that
their ancestors used to colonize the Pacific. He saw ancient knowledge
as key to the future of his community, Polynesians, and humanity.
Kaveia’s death came too soon. His students only had a few voyages to
other islands with him before he died. But rather than let the old arts
die with Kaveia, they have decided to test their skills at sea.
“We will honor Kaveia by building a voyaging canoe (vaka) with only
the Polynesian plant materials, tools, and we will navigate to other
islands using only the ancient methods he taught us.”
“In 2012 we will Holau Kaveia (Voyage for Kaveia) and visit every
island in our Duff Islands, then every island in the “Santa Cruz Group”
of the far S.E. Solomon Islands. These voyages can prepare us to sail
to Vanuatu in 2013 and reunite with our long lost family members and
trading partners. Eventually we should voyage to many other islands
through the Pacific.”
2
Kaveia’s aim was to train a new generation in the voyaging methods of
their ancestors” – particularly their culture hero named “Lata,” who, in
Polynesian oral tradition, was the first person to build and sail a vaka.
By teaching Lata’s methods Kaveia hoped to reignite the active
practice of voyaging.
The vaka for “Holau Kaveia“ is nearly ready to sail. Soon the sailing
crew will use the “wind position” navigation system of Lata to
circumnavigate the Polynesian islands and settlements of the Santa
Cruz islands – a distance of about 500 n.m.
During August the Holau Kaveia voyagers plan to sail around the 11
Duff Islands, of which Taumako is one, then set a gravestone for Chief
Kaveia at Taumako. During September and early October Holau
Kaveia will attempt to sail from Taumako to Nifiloli, Fenualoa, Pileni,
Matema, Nukapu and Nupani, as well as to Polynesian settlements on
Santa Cruz (Ndeni) and Vanikoro Islands to the south, then return
home to Taumako.
Holau Kaveia – An Educational Project:
Holau Kaveia is a final exam for Kaveia’s students. Building a vaka
strong enough to cross rough seas is only the beginning. Planning a
route, choosing a crew, supplying the vaka, require much time and
work. To safely arrive at distant islands. the crew must accurately
navigate using the ancient Polynesian wind-based system that Kaveia
taught them. Departure and arrival protocols, accommodations and
social relationships require careful attention and diplomacy. What
they do not yet know they will do their best to master in the process.
3
One of Kaveia’s goals was to share ancient Polynesian voyaging skills
with people the world over. To this end two international film crews,
with Taumako students participating, will document Holau Kaveia. The
finished program will be offered to schools and libraries. Taumako
primary school students will prepare reports on the progress of the
voyagers and interviews with elderly voyagers at home. The students
plan to post their reports on the internet, and hope to use a satellite
dish and sat phones that can be activated for the project.
The people of Taumako live on a speck of a remote island, and live
much as their ancestors did, without electricity, airport or anchorage.
They maintain the plants and use the skills of canoe construction in
their every day lives, unlike Polynesians in more developed parts of
the Pacific, like Hawaii and Tahiti.
The labor of canoe building and voyaging requires Taumako people to
forego normal routines of subsistence farming and fishing. Organizers
of Holau Kaveia must supply the canoe builders with food to replace
what they normally would gather from gardens and sea. Much of this
food must be shipped in at great expense.
Fortunately they are not alone. During his long and eventful life, Chief
Kaveia befriended people from England, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia,
Rarotonga, Germany, Canada, Vanuatu, and the United States. Many
of them support Holau Kaveia now. Taumako community thanks the
generous donors who make Holau Kaveia possible.
For more information see www.vaka.org or contact
george.mimi@gmail.com and/or s.salopuka@gmail.com
The Vaka Taumako Project operates under the aegis of the Pacific
Traditions Society, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (donations are
tax deductible as allowable by law in the US and the Vaka Taumako
Project Committee of Solomon Islands.