In October in Lifou island, a double-hulled canoe was pushed into the lagoon - a small act that marked a deeply symbolic moment.
It was the first launch of a traditional canoe on Lifou in generations, an event that brought together the island’s three chiefly clans in a rare show of unity.
Activist and sailor Aile Tikoure was behind the launch. For the past eight years, he has led a project that aims to revive traditional boat making in New Caledonia, a territory of France in the Pacific ocean.
Dozens of canoes have been built in an initiative designed to reconnect Indigenous Kanak people with their maritime heritage.
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