Street Address
Mililani, HI
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by FRANCIS PIMMEL
Polynesian canoes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polynesian_Triangle
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of more than 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are called Polynesians. They have many things in common, including linguistic relations, cultural practices, and traditional beliefs. In centuries past, they had a strong shared tradition of sailing and using stars to navigate.
Throughout Polynesia and Oceania in general, canoes have been, and in some cases still are, a primary means of transportation between islands. They also serve as an essential method for fishing along the shores. Some canoes were specifically designed to accommodate a large number of warriors for the purpose of waging war and conquering other islands. The size and construction of canoes were greatly influenced by the materials available on each particular island. For example, Hawaii was able to build large voyaging or war canoes using the renowned Koa tree. Meanwhile, the Māori in New Zealand constructed war canoes, known as "Waka Taua," that could be up to 130 feet long, utilizing the massive Kauri or Totara trees. While most canoes, regardless of size, were dugouts, some, particularly in Samoa , were built using plank construction.
Over the last 30 years, I have compiled a list of traditional Oceanic canoes, including full-size examples, models, representations in prints and paintings, both ancient and contemporary, with significant cultural, historical, and maritime importance, that I will organize geographically by Island, archipelago, and atoll
However, I would also like this section of my website to serve an educational purpose. Many of us who have never sailed across the vastness of the Pacific Ocean may take some time to locate, let's say, Tonga or Samoa on a world map, and even much more to find Tobi or Nukuoro atoll. Therefore, I added links to locate the island or atoll and to read about its geography, history, language, and the culture of its inhabitants, as they relate to the illustrated canoe. Same for the many naturalists, ethnographers, navigators, explorers, and drafters who contributed to our understanding of the multitude of canoe types across Oceania.