The Uto ni Yalo voyaging canoe, carrying a regional crew from Oceania has departed Suva for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
They say the crew will join the Taumako TePuke canoe en route, honouring Solomon Islands’ navigation heritage and supporting the Motalava Treaty between Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, which strengthens traditional ties, cultural initiatives, and marine conservation.
They also highlighted that the Wansolwara Voyage symbolizes Pacific unity, prosperity, and the value of traditional knowledge in addressing modern challenges.
They add voyage is part of a three-year Wansolwara Sail Plan by the Pasifiki Voyaging Alliance, with future journeys planned to COP31 in Australia and the Pacific High Seas to strengthen global ocean advocacy.
Pacific leaders, including Fiji’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change Mosese Bulitavu and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, praised the voyage as a powerful reminder of ancestral wisdom, regional solidarity, and the shared duty to protect the ocean.
