Page 32 - Islands Business June 2023

Transport

NAVIGATING SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Continued from page 11 Everybody has their own role, including chanting.
“Right now, every guy in the canoe house, if you go there,
Kelen observed many young people interested in the canoe they know how to weave the sail.”
building they were doing on these remote islands but who had Kelen says their work demonstrates that traditional knowl-
failed to progress at school, and asked village elders about edge is “not of yesterday, but is a knowledge that is, and will,
their prospects. He was told: “That’s why we have a lot of bring us into the future.
copra makers. They were kids. And now they have kids. So “If you look at our canoes…the hull is asymmetrical. That’s
that’s it for these kids.” the same shape on an airplane wing. Without this shape, the
“That’s in our schooling, I guess, survival of the fittest. But airplane won’t fly. So our forefathers sailed in our lagoons us-
that’s sad, because in a modern world, there should be op- ing that shape thousands of years before the Wright brothers
portunities for many, many kids out there,” he said. put it on the airplane wing. That’s how futuristic our knowl-
Leaving the atoll where he had this conversation, Kelen was edge is.
told “the voyager canoe goes wherever you go.” “Look around, it’s people that survive on these rocks.
He took that to heart. In the years that have followed, They’re scientists, people that know about the moon and the
WAM has done the hard work of raising funds, partnering with lagoon and the ocean…I respect those older folks that are
other local educators and organisations, and has supported a skilful in this knowledge. I think they should be all considered
generation of ‘pracademics’, practical academics. as national treasures. Our kids go to school for a few years,
“After a while, people start asking, ‘So you’re going to have come back and they’ve got a master’s degree. And they get
all these thousands of kids who know how to build canoes and praised everywhere. But our elders, they’ve been doing it for
go sailing. But at the end of the day, what do you want them 40 years and 50 years. And we consider that ‘grandparents
to do?’” knowledge’. How sad.”
Kelen and his co-founder realised that the skills their young Kelen hopes that this knowledge, and the way it is now be-
boat builders were learning equated to more traditional ing applied, will receive more support from institutions, and
learning; canoe building was woodworking and the same on a national scale.
skills could be used to build many other things. Measurement “It’s time for this country to wake up,” he says.
was geometry and applied mathematics, literacy skills were One WAM design for a fishing vessel has a plug in one hull
required to read instructions, and English was needed to that allows it to be partially filled with water. When fish are
name powered tools and other equipment being used. Climate caught, they can be stored, still alive, in that hull, eliminat-
change studies came by seeing first-hand how the tides were ing the need for ice. Another design for a cargo catamaran
changing. And in a country where the rate of non-communi- uses “the two things we are so rich with, wind and sun”, an
cable diseases is high, they learn about nutrition and healthy important innovation in an environment where fuel costs are
lifestyle choices from medical professionals WAM brings in. high and eat into the earnings of remote communities.
This means that many of these young people have been able Kelen says while Pacific nations stand on global stages at
to attain their General Educational Development certifica- the IMO and other meetings (see sidebar), there is still a lot
tion (equivalent to high school graduation) through their work to do at home. Attracting home Marshallese who are gradu-
with WAM. Others have now gone on to study at university and ating all over the world for one. Working with the national
college. school system to get a unit on traditional canoes into the
Working with young people required the WAM team to have elementary school curriculum is another. And rebuilding the
other skills. Kelen studied to become a behavioral counsellor WAM offices, which burned down earlier this year is also on
and the team includes a mental health counsellor. the cards.
The program has worked to be inclusive, and started with “We’re hoping to extend a little bit…but we also have to
the recognition that “women brought navigation to the Mar- protect the environment. Maybe make it higher or something.
shall Islands. Women brought sails to the Marshall Islands,” We can only go to heaven,” Kelen says with a smile.
Kelen says.
“It shows how important our mothers are to us. And it shows editor@islandsbusiness.com
that we cannot do anything without the skill of our woman.

32 Islands Business, June 2023