The signing of an agreement between a local contractor and the Motu Koita Assembly will see the construction of the biggest lakatoi, for the 2016 Hiri Moale Festival.
The lakatoi, or traditional watercraft, will be 16 metres long and will take two weeks to build.
Local contractor, Tau Letiu, is confident the lakatoi will be completed come September.
A lakatoi is a traditional watercraft that Motuans used for trading in the past. To date, it remains an important icon for the Motuans.
The annual celebration of Hiri Moale is a reminder of the trading lifestyle Motuans lived with in the past.
Every year, the festival is staged at Ela Beach. For 2016, it will be celebrated on September 28 and will include over 20 Motuan women competing for the Hane Namo or the Motuan Beauty Queen Title.
So far, the festival has received financial assistance from the Lae Biscuit Co. and the National Capital District Commission.
