18th-century engraving titled Vue de l’isle d’Otahiti et de plusieurs pirogues. The artwork depicts Matavai Bay in Tahiti, featuring ytaditional Polynesian vessels known as ivahahs (short trip canoes) and pahies (long voyage canoes)

Painting. Beach of Raiatea by Coulon, around 1906.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_of_Raiatea

Titled “Cleopatra’s barge: a free translation, Utaroa, 27th October, 1846” by Capt. Henry Byam Martin while being stationed in Tahiti.

Utaroa is a community on Raiatea, one of the Society Islands.

Who is Capt. Henry Byam Martin ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Byam_Martin

This is another watercolor by Capt. Henry Byam Martin, drawn around 1846-47.

The raised stern of this vessel must have inspired the builders of Hikianalia and those other identical double-hulled contemporary voyaging canoes.

1792 engraving SOUTH SEA Society Islands w VIEW of OTAHEITE

Canoe of Utaheite. Society Islands. Sketch drawn during Capt. James Cook first voyage.

Tipairua voyaging canoe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahiti

A View of Matavai Bay in the Island of Otaheite Tahiti, William Hodges, 1744–1797, British, 1776, Oil on canvas. (Photo by: Sepia Times/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Society islands. Canoes of Utaheite. Sketch drawn by Alexander Buchan in the countries visited by James Cook on his first voyage.

Society islands. “A view of the islands of Otaheite with several vessels of that nation.” Sketch drawn during Capt. Cook first voyage. Engraved by E. Rooker.

John Webber,, R.A. (1751-1793) Aquatint engraving with original hand color. Plate 3. A Sailing Canoe of Otaheite by John Webber. Published in 1792. Four figures in a boat, two rowing in the stern, a woman standing at the mast, to which is secured a tall, narrow sail with a long tassel flying from the top, with another ship in the background to the right, near a mountain.

Who was John Webber ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Webber

The Fa’afaite voyaging canoe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fa%CA%BBafaite

Otaheite canoe. Sketches and colored drawings made by J. Webber, during Captain Cook's third voyage, in 1776-1780,

Notice the raised stern section of the canoe, which seems to have inspired the one on the Hikianalia.

TE-PAPA COLLECTIONS. _Model Double-Hulled Canoe Vaka, Society island.

The island of Otahiete bearing S.E. distant one league. Painted by William Hodges and engraved by W. Watts. In the foreground, two double canoes, one with a cabin. Several other sailing vessels in the Bay

William Anderson - A Pahie engraved by Thomas Milton (1743-1827) 1820

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Milton

Native throwing spear on bord a “tipai-Hoe”

There is a notable similarity between old Tahitian and Hawaiian outriggers; however, their connection hull to float or ““ama” varies significantly. Both “iako” of the Hawaiian outriggers have a similar shape, while in the Tahitian design, one iako is straight, and the other is highly curved.

Early twenty century photo of a Tahitian racing canoe. Note the two different types of attachment iako to ama.

Tahitian outrigger with sprit sail.

Society islands. “A view of the islands of Otaheite with several vessels of that nation.” Sketch drawn during Capt. Cook first voyage. Engraved by E. Rooker.

Early 20th Century postcard showing outrigger canoe with sprit sail.

Tahitian Tipairua

A fully planked canoe model with the bow and stern extremities decorated with a tiki. The tikis should be looking inside the canoe.

1792 historical sketch of Tahitian canoes.

Tahitian fishing canoe. View in front of the Clement Lindley Wragg's bungalow, Patutoa, Tahiti

Colored drawings of a Tahitian Tipairua canoe made by J. Webber, during Captain Cook's third voyage, in 1776-1780,

Illustration of three different Pacific canoe style observed by Bougainville at: Tahiti, Choiseul (one of Solomon Islands) and Navigators Islands (Samoa). 1771

In 1768, Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729–1811) was a French admiral and explorer leading the first French expedition to circumnavigate the globe (1766–1769). During his 1768 Pacific voyage, he charted parts of the Solomon Islands (including the island now named after him), reached Tahiti, and cataloged the bougainvillea vine

The illustration depicts a sacred Tahitian voyaging canoe, specifically an Epharre Noa (House of God). This drawing is historically significant, likely originating from the voyages of Captain James Cook in the late 18th century, and documents the religious practices and maritime engineering of Otaheite (Tahiti)

Key Features and Descriptions

The drawing includes a detailed legend (A-H) identifying the specific components of the vessel and the rirualistic items on board:

A- The Epharre Noa (House of God)

‍ ‍ The small thatched structure situated on the deck

B- A place occasionally for the Side of God: A designated area for religious relics.

C- The Morai: Representing a sacred platform or altar area

D- A kind of through called “Eorae” : used for ceremonial purposes

E- The stays or supporters of the Epharre: Structural supports of the sacred house

F- The Offering of Hogs, Fowls, etc: items placed on the altar as sacrifices

G- The Eatua ORO: Referring to the primary deity, ORO, the god of war and fertility.

H- Two Drums: Located on the deck, used to accompany rituals and signal during voyages.

Antique engraving titled “A view of the new discovered island of Ulietea” which depicts a scene from Captain James Cook’s first voyage in 1769. The location shown “Ulietia” is the historical name for the island of Raiatea in French Polynesia.

Watercolor titled “A double canoe with the Eotooa (God) and provisions on the Prow” and was created by George Tobin in 1792.

Who was George Tobin ?

From 1788-90 Tobin was employed in the service of the East India Company, voyaging to Madras and China, and after joining the Tremendous 74, which was fitting out at Deptford but not commissioned during the Spanish Armament of 1790, he was awarded a lieutenant s commission on 14 November.

From 1791-3 he served in Captain William Bligh s second mission to Tahiti aboard the Providence 16, the first mission having been curtailed by the mutiny on the Bounty in 1789. During this voyage he proved his skills as a draughtsman, and he made many excellent sketches and drawings. Upon returning to England in August 1793 his work, also including, charts and comments, was handed over to the Admiralty, and despite many requests in his later years he was never able to retrieve it.