PROGRAM PRIORITIES of PTS

April 2021 - August 2022

1. Annual General Meetings of Vaka Valo Association and all-community meetings at Taumako were held in January, 2021. These meetings were meant to happen years earlier. However delays were caused by a tsunami, a volcanic eruption, 2 class 5 cyclones, and lack of travel funding or communications between Honiara-based Taumakoans and Taumako residents. In January Honiara-based directors went to Taumako, and decisions about programs and planning were made. Decisions were made by 90% of Taumako community to to register a new charitable organization. In June, 2021 it was registered and is named Holau Vaka Taumako Association. In September, 2021 meetings of the general membership and the Directors are planned at Taumako. The priority programs of HVTA are listed below.

2. Construction of an all-season support, transport, and emergency vessel began in Hawai`i in June, 2020. We are now fundraising to outfit it and pass safety inspections in February, 2022. An escort vessel is legally required for student voyages of the TePuke. The 38ʻ vessel under construction is an ocean-going proa design in modern materials and a 14hp diesel auxiliary engine. Pacific Traditions Society (PTS) has engaged the very distinguished and experienced builder, Tim Mann, and the capable crew of Ocean People, Inc, to build it. The proa will accommodate 3 or 4 crew, and 6 passengers OR freeze a ton of fish OR carry cargo. Selling fish and providing transport and emergency services will support educational programs of the Taumako charitable organization.

3. Fundraise for student sea-training and voyages to extend the inter-island range for training voyages and accommodate more student crew members. Costs include rations for workers and school fees for workers’ children, so that parents can work on the canoe.

4. Build a TeAlo Lili to replace the TePuke damaged by ants and a 2020 cyclone at Vanikoro. Constructing this vessel will begin after the shelter for it (see Halevaka below) has been built. A suitable tree for this vaka has been offered at Taumako.

5. Fundraise to build a permanently-roofed canoe house (Halevaka) at Taumako. This structure is urgently needed: to shelter and maintain canoes, to accommodate students and visitors of Lata Cultural Voyaging School, to safely archive voyaging library books, video equipment & editing lab, cultural resource materials, solar and WIFI communications center office equipment, tools and supplies. A suitable site has been offered and selected.

6. Deliver and iInstall laptops into the computer lab that has been built near the site where the Halevaka will be built. A solar power system has been installed on the roof of the computer lab. Mobile sat-dish (BGAN) units and annual data plans are being researched. The goal is to support internet communications, laptops, video equipment, and solar lighting at the Halevaka. Communications must be established with the outside from the Taumako-based charitable organization so that they can welcome and accommodate voyaging students and visitors interested in ancient voyaging knowledge. 12 MacBook Air laptops have been donated and shipped to Holau Vaka Taumako Association by Fred Ross (with matching grants by Microsoft and PTS).

7. Complete part 3 of We, the Voyagers: Lata’s Children documentary film series. The first film, We, the Voyagers: Our Vaka, and the second film We, the Voyagers: Our Moana are both available on Vimeo. We seek donor support for costs of making the third film, We, the Voyagers: Our Family. This film is to focus on women and children in voyaging and on re-establishing inter-island partnerships and networks, including with new partners internationally. Two aspiring Taumako filmmakers have been recording interviews with women experts. Another who has filmmaking training at university in Australia, is now working on other production activities.

8. Complete a voyage from Taumako, Solomon Islands to Vanuatu. In recent years the seasonal winds are fluky. But this voyage will be made when the time is right.

9. Complete and publish Sailing with Lata, a book by Mimi George and Taumako colleagues telling the story of the Vaka Taumako Project and explaining a wealth of never before reported voyaging knowledge taught by Kaveia, Jonas, and other women and men masters of Polynesian voyaging arts. We are fundraising for production of diagrams and supplementary video sequences to be included with the book and dvd, and for writeup time for the authors to work together, and for expert work in web publishing and distribution.

10. Fundraise for salaries, office space, and equipment for Honiara administrators of the Taumako charitable organization. They need to pay rental of office space, communications data, laptops, video software, and modest salaries while they write grant applications and create programs and collaborations with international offices and students.

11. Complete digitization and acquire protective storage boxes for all the video footage, photos, books, and voyaging valuables to be safely archived at Taumako. Completion of the canoe house is required to protect the assets (see above).

12. Complete design and registration of a WIX website for HVTA. In 2021 the Taumako charitable organization can take control and begin load their own content. Fundraising for $25.USD/month cost to be paid by the Taumako charitable organization.

*PTS aims to meet these goals between June, 2022 and December, 2022. PTS believes these steps will make Holau Vaka Taumako Association completely self-supporting.

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