Ha’apai commences popao traditional carving training

15 Dec Ha’apai commences popao traditional carving training

May 24^th 2021 – Representatives of Ha’apai outer islands led by Town Officers and District Officers have gathered at MORDI HQ’s to begin a week long intensive canoe carving exercise. The training focuses on reinvigorating traditional knowledge of rural remote communities in carving outrigger canoes ‘popao’ and providing these communities with communal canoes to aid in shallow water fishing.

The training engages 5 Ha’apai Districts that includes 23 communities namely Foa District – Faleloa, Fangale’ounga, Fotua, Ha’afakahenga, Ha’ateiho si’i, Lotofoa Communities. Ha’ano District – Ha’ano, Fakakai, Mo’unga’one, Muitoa, Pukotala Communities. The Lulunga District – Ha’afeva, Tungua, Fotuha’a, ‘O’ua, Matuku and Kotu Communities. ‘Otu Mu’omu’a District – Fonoi, Mango, Nomuka. Communities. Finally, the ‘Uiha District that includes Felemea, Lofanaga and ‘Uiha Communities. These have been communities that have identified they require the assistance of canoes.

The training is being led by Master Carver Mr. Sione Tu’ione Pulotu assisted by other experts. His years of training have been utilized well while he is in Tonga due to COVID-19 travel bans restricting his initial intentions to return last year.

The training mirrors that which was successfully implemented in ‘Eua in weeks past that saw to the creation of 20 outrigger canoes for the ‘Eua-fo’ou District.

The carving is a great way to capture and transfer traditional knowledge of carving to the communities. Many communities have taken favor to modern dinghy boats with motors for fishing causing outrigger canoes to be rarely seen in Tonga save for some remote places. The canoes will provide more resources for the communities to re-engage in traditional shallow water fishing, preserve cultural heritage, allow for communities to increase opportunities to develop sustainable economic livelihoods and most of all provide rural households with food and nutrition security.

Tonga has been for many years plagued with nutrition issues leading to increased incidences of health complications and mortality tied to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s). Since the imports of highly processed, less nutritious and fatty foods have increased to Tonga, many diets and lives have drastically changed.

Climate change and natural disasters have also caused many disruptions to Tongan lives and COVID-19 has further complicated issues of food and nutrition for Tongans. The hopes of this training is that  rural households will be able to become self-reliant as resources for fishing is increased.

MORDI Tonga has been funded and supported by IFAD over the years it has operated. The community’s priorities are documented exhaustively in their respective Community Development Plans. The target communities of TRIP II have outlined the need to address increasing rates of youth unemployment, high school drop outs as well as activities for men of communities that reduces drudgery. By providing the community with opportunities to be involved in activities, it is hoped that social issues will be lessened.