A dream come to life
/A dream come to life
A dream of my grandparents and their generation
A dream of my parents and their generation
A dream that has become mine, and of my generation
Can it be?...
A vaka rises out of the malamala
A Tokelau Canoe rises out of the carving shavings and dust
A priceless aspect of our aganuku culture was at the precipice of vanishing, at risk of fading with the passage of time. Having lived for decades in a diaspora community, far from our ancestral homeland of Tokelau, the struggle to maintain our identity as Tokelauans has increased in urgency with the birth of each new generation.
It is this urgency that prompted the current generation of Tokelau descendants to begin the process of formally revitalizing our gagana language in 2005. The aspects of our aganuku that survived post migration are shared with our community to all who are interested. Cultural values of fakaaloalo respect, maopoopo harmony and ‘alofa ki te tama manu’ caring for those in need, are embraced and practiced within our community. However, there is one important aspect of our aganuku that eluded us… until now…
“Oku taina e, taofi mau aganuku…”
My brother, my sister, hold on tightly to your culture.
The hand of the TaVaka Vasefenua Reupena, a Master Carver, rises and falls, effortlessly chiseling away a layer of wood at each swing. The echo of na toki chipping away is mixed with the sound of laughter and singing from those gathered to fellowship. We are the descendants of the first Tokelauans that migrated to Poamoho, Wahiawa, Hawai’i many years ago. We gather once again, this time to build the Vaka under the watchful eye of the TaVaka.
What is a Vaka? What is its importance?
All who are present understand the gravity and responsibility of the task set before us. To build a Vaka is not a trivial task nor one for the faint of heart. It is a labor of love that takes time and a heart of commitment. A Vaka means Life in Tokelau. It must be constructed with a highly specialized skillset known to only a few, steeped in wisdom that is carefully passed on from one Master Carver to another of the next generation..
By the grace of God, a TaVaka from Tokelau, a rare find, commissioned by the Toeaina elders in a community group in Porirua, NZ, came to Hawai’i to pass on the art of building a Tokelau Vaka. Using tokis adzes, the TaVaka begins the process of passing on the traditional knowledge of carving to this generation. There is a collective sense of awe as each toki is brought out and displayed. These are the same kope tools wielded by TaVakas of old. They are now placed in the hands of my generation, instantly and tangibly linking the past to the present. With reverence, respect and a stronger sense of connection to our Tokelau identity, we pick up na toki and begin the work.
In respecting the old, there must be room for the new. Every generation adds to the collective wisdom of building a Vaka. The availability of modern technology sped up the building process immensely. Perhaps that is this generations contribution to this ancient art; never to replace, just to enhance.
Tokelau is a group of atolls surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and rise just a few meters above sea-level. The Vaka is essentially the life-line of a kaiga family in the islands. To provide for your kaiga, you must have a Vaka to fish the surrounding moana ocean.
The significance of carving a Tokelau Vaka in our diaspora homeland is that it builds and strengthens the symbolic life-line and connection to our Tokelau gagana and aganuku. Surveys in 2005 show that the gagana is declining slowly, but surely, in the United States. While the loss of a gagana and aganuku is devastating enough, the loss of an identity that our tupuna ancestors, grandparents and parents held so dear is even more so.
Building the Vaka could not have come at a better time.
Our tupuna sacrificed greatly to provide a future for us in Hawai’i. They integrated and survived in this new land, yet their identity was firmly rooted in being a Tokelauan. That identity is mine now, it is the identity of many Hawai’i Tokelauans . I owe it, we owe it, to our tupuna, to ourselves, and to those coming after us, to keep this precious and unique aganuku and gagana alive.
“Te lakau nei nae mamafa, nae fulifuligata, kua tu kua manaia.”
The heavy log that was difficult to move and turn, now stands proudly and beautifully.
A Tokelau Vaka rose out of the malamala i he Fale Afolau Canoe House i Hawai’i
This one, wielded and crafted by the hands of my generation
Oku Taina, o mamai come, let us alo row our Vaka ki mua foward
The next generations are counting on us….
E o te Aliki te vikiga i na mea uma
Ki Mua Tokelau
