Te Puna Marama Voyaging Foundation is committed to educating young people about the traditional navigation techniques and wayfinding methods practiced by our ancestors.

Utilising their Vaka Paikea, the goal is to impart this invaluable knowledge and skills to the next generation, inspiring them to explore, retain, and ensure the continuity of these ancient practices.

Master traditional navigator, Tua Pittman, the trustee of Te Puna Marama Voyaging Foundation, said: “A Vaka is not just a vessel, it’s a movement of people, where you take your people to a place to survive, teach them to live off the land, teach them to preserve food so that they can keep the people safer.”

Pittman made the comments at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (INTAFF) Social Impact Fund (SIF) grant presentation last month. Te Puna Marama was one of the recipients.

Tua Pittman, traditional master navigator and trustee of Te Puna Marama Voyaging Foundation. MELINA ETCHES/24052114

He explained the significance and magnitude of the Vaka, as many misunderstand it to be merely a vessel for transportation between islands.

“Once the Vaka gets to the island, everything on the Vaka is transformed to the land… like Vaka Puaikura, Vaka Takitumu, Vaka Te Au O Tonga,” Pittman said.

“We see the Vaka as being our island, the crew members on board being our community and the navigators the administration.

“If the administration doesn’t work well with the community, the island is going to fail and will never make our destination.”

Pittman extended the Vaka metaphor to land, explaining that the island itself becomes the Vaka, its people the crew, and the Ui Ariki and government working together to manage its affair

“All working together … and the canoe will survive because we all get to be a part of making sure our Vaka is alive.”

Peia Patai, master traditional navigator and founding chairman of Te Puna Marama Trust, captained the Vaka Marumaru Atua to Hawai’i for the 13^th Festival of the Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC). The festival started with the official opening ceremony last night.

Vaka Marumaru Atua and the crew were welcomed at the Wa’a ceremony on Wednesday.

Pittman said the young crew on Marumaru Atua were attending the greatest Pacific Arts Festival of all time – “the Olympic Games of Pacific Island culture”, and some have never left their islands before.

“With the help of your funding (SIF), we have been able to continue our programmes and instill pride in our children,” Pittman said.

“We are so thankful that you have acknowledged our request to continue our mission.”

Te Puna Marama Voyaging Foundation is a registered Cook Islands charity dedicated to the revitalisation and sharing of the ancient knowledge of navigation. Cecile Marten and Ma’ara Maeva are the other trustees on the board.

The SIF Board approved 14 proposals with an allocated budget of $193,993.94. There were seven recipients from Rarotonga, one from Aitutaki, three from Atiu, and three from Mangaia.

The SIF funding priorities are aligned with the National Sustainable Development Agenda NSDA2020+ and focus on key areas such as children’s protection and development, youth development, persons with disability inclusion, gender empowerment and equality, the elderly and positive ageing, mental health, and domestic violence alleviation.