Cook Islands traditional canoe Vaka Marumaru Atua will set sail for Hawaii next week to participate in the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (Festpac 2024) in Honolulu in June. Cook Islands Voyaging Society explains the country’s long history of sending vaka (voyaging canoes) to the regional cultural event.
Vaka Marumaru Atua will skip Tahiti and sail directly to Hawaii with a youth crew to attend the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Honolulu in June.
In preparation for the upcoming cyclone season, which runs from November to April, Te Puna Marama Voyaging Foundation’s Vaka Paikea was lifted out of Avatiu Port and onto dry dock at the Punanga Nui Market seaside grounds yesterday.