CNMI group vows to build other traditional canoes

1:34 pm on 26 December 2017

An organisation aiming to revive traditional canoe buidling in the Northern Marianas has set a goal of building 500 traditional-style canoes by 2030.

The group, 500 Sails, says it is looking at constructing other canoes apart from its recently built double-hulled canoe Okeanos Marianas.

500 Sails executive director Pete Perez, who recently arrived aboard the Okeanos Marianas from the Yap summit and canoe festival in the Federated States of Micronesia, said his organization will not just solely build vaka motu, it also has its sights on building Carolinian canoes.

Mr Perez said the voyage to Yap was also monumental because one of the Okeanos Foundation for the Sea employees, Steve Tawake, led the voyage using traditional navigation for the first time.

He also said that during the Yap Summit, it was discussed that the ancient trade routes used by ancient Chamorros and Carolinians to get to the neighbor islands are slowly opening up and will connect the islands again through a network of canoes.

Okeanos Marianas arriving in the waters off Susupe Civic Park on Saipan.

Okeanos Marianas arriving in the waters off Susupe Civic Park on Saipan. Photo: Mark Rabago