Cook Islands Voyaging Society
The Cook Islands Voyaging Society (CIVS) is a non-profit organisation in the Cook Islands dedicated to the promotion of Polynesian navigation, cultural ancestry, and environmental knowledge for future generations.[1] It builds and sails replicas of traditional double-hulled voyaging canoes, undertaking voyages throughout Polynesia using traditional navigation techniques.
The society was established in 1992, and formally incorporated in 1993.[2] It was initially led by former Cook Islands prime Minister Tom Davis. In 1994, Davis led the design and construction of the society's first replica voyaging canoe, Te Au o Tonga.[2] Te Au o Tonga was later used by the Okeanos Foundation for the Sea as a model for a group of fiberglass-hulled replicas, including Marumaru Atua.[2] Marumaru Atua was gifted to the society in 2014.[3]
Since 2018, the society has collaborated with NGO Korero te Orau to run a school holiday program on traditional voyaging and vaka knowledge.[4]
In December 2019 the society was featured in an exhibit at the Cook Islands National Museum on the revival of voyaging in the Cook Islands.[5] In 2022 the society celebrated its 30th anniversary.[6]
In September 2022 the society partnered with woodcarver Mike Tavioni for the Te Mana O te Vaka boat building and sailing project, to construct six double-hulled vaka using traditional methods.[7]
The society is funded by the Cook Islands government, international NGOs, and public donations.[1][8]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "The Cook Islands Voyaging Society Strategic Plan 2018-2023" (PDF). Cook Islands Voyaging Society. p. 7. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- ^ a b c "History of Voyaging". Cook Islands Voyaging Society. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- ^ "Marumaru Atua". Okeanos Foundation for the Sea. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ "'We are all in the same boat'". Cook Islands News. 25 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- ^ Melina Etches (18 December 2019). "Voyaging history on show". Cook Islands News. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- ^ "Celebrating 30 years of raising awareness of Polynesian voyaging". Cook Islands News. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Melina Etches (21 September 2022). "Reviving traditional vaka building". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
- ^ "Cook Islands vaka secures nearly $NZ500,000 in funding". RNZ. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
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