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Vaʻa is a word in Samoan, Hawaiian and Tahitian which means 'boat', 'canoe' or 'ship'.^[1] It is cognate with other Polynesian words such as vaka or the Māori word waka.^[2]

The vaʻa usually takes the form a dugout canoe carved from a single tree trunk, typically used by one to three individuals for fishing activities around the island. It normally has a float or outrigger (called ama in various Polynesian languages), which is attached to the main hull for stability.

The word vaʻa contrasts with larger traditional seagoing vessels for long-distance voyages, whose names include vaʻa tele ('big ship'), alia, or tepukei.

A modern version of the smaller vaʻa is used in the sport of outrigger canoe racing. Due to the extra stability created by the outrigger system, a modified version of the va'a canoe was included as a new Paralympic Games event from 2020.

Types of vaʻa

Samoa

The Samoans have four kinds of canoes, smaller fishing vessels or the larger oceangoing va'a-tele or ʻalia, which are mostly out of use today;^[3]

paopao A single outrigger canoe made from a single log;
vaʻa-alo A small fishing-canoe.
Large single canoes, termed respectively la'au lima (five-barred), or six or seven-barred, as the case might be, were canoes varying in length from thirty, fifty, sixty, and even seventy feet, as required. They were balanced by an outrigger firmly lashed to the canoe on the left side at a distance of three feet if meant for pulling, but of five or six feet if required for sailing. The single canoes have a light appearance, the prow and stern being slightly curved upwards, so that merely the bosom or central part of an unloaded canoe rests upon the water.
ʻalia. Samoan double canoe, va'a-tele (the big canoe), was much larger, and consisted of two canoes, one longer than the other, lashed together with cross-bars amidships, and having the thatched shed or cabin built upon a stage that projected over the stern, instead of in midships, as in the Tonga canoes. It was much larger than this canoe, but more difficult to manage, yet able to carry one or two Vaʻa-alo, or small fishing-canoes, on deck as required.

Construction

A main hull of a vaʻa can be made in one piece, from a hollowed out trunk of a large tree with the ama float attached later. Other types of Polynesian construction include 'sewing' planks of wood together with special cords and ropes, a type of hand made sennit, important in the material cultures of the people of Oceania.

Other meanings

Vaʻa is also a surname in the Samoa Islands, and may refer to:

Earl Va'a (b. 1976), Samoan rugby player
Justin Va'a (b. 1978), Samoan rugby player

References

^ Pratt, George. "Title: A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language, with English and Samoan vocabulary, NZ Licence CC-BY-SA 3.0". NZ Electronic Text Centre, Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
^ Barclay-Kerr, Hoturoa (22 September 2012). "Story: Waka – canoes – 'Waka taua' Te Ara". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. p. 3. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
^ Stair, John B (1983). Old Samoa. Papakura, NZ: R McMillan. pp. 142–153. Retrieved 12 February 2011.NZ Electronic Text Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ Licence CC-BY-SA

External links

Takia Outrigger Canoe Club Fiji

[pratt-1] Pratt, George. "Title: A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language, with English and Samoan vocabulary, NZ Licence CC-BY-SA 3.0". NZ Electronic Text Centre, Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 19 November 2010.

[2] Barclay-Kerr, Hoturoa (22 September 2012). "Story: Waka – canoes – 'Waka taua' Te Ara". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. p. 3. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

[stair-3] Stair, John B (1983). Old Samoa. Papakura, NZ: R McMillan. pp. 142–153. Retrieved 12 February 2011.NZ Electronic Text Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ Licence CC-BY-SA

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Traditional outrigger canoe from Polynesia}}
-[[File:John LaFarge, La Farge John Girls Carrying A Canoe Vaiala In Samoa.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[John La Farge]] 1891 painting of girls carrying a ''va{{okina}}a'' at Vaiala, [[Samoa]].]]
+[[File:John LaFarge, La Farge John Girls Carrying A Canoe Vaiala In Samoa.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[John La Farge]] 1891 painting of girls carrying a ''vaʻa'' at Vaiala, [[Samoa]].]]
-'''Va'a''' is a word in [[Samoan language|Samoan]], [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] and [[Tahitian language|Tahitian]] which means 'boat', 'canoe' or 'ship'. <ref name=pratt>{{cite web
+'''Vaʻa''' is a word in [[Samoan language|Samoan]], [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] and [[Tahitian language|Tahitian]] which means 'boat', 'canoe' or 'ship'.<ref name=pratt>{{cite web
-|url=http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-PraDict-c2-4.html
+|url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-PraDict-c2-4.html
 |work=NZ Electronic Text Centre, Victoria University of Wellington
 |title=Title: A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language, with English and Samoan vocabulary, NZ Licence CC-BY-SA 3.0
 |first=George
 |last=Pratt
+|access-date=19 November 2010}}</ref> It is [[cognate]] with other Polynesian words such as ''[[vaka (sailing)|vaka]]'' or the [[Māori language|Māori]] word ''[[waka (canoe)|waka]]''.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/waka-canoes/3 |title=Story: Waka – canoes – 'Waka taua' Te Ara |encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |date=22 September 2012 |first1=Hoturoa |last1=Barclay-Kerr |page=3 |access-date=12 January 2015}}</ref>
-|accessdate=19 November, 2010}}</ref>A larger traditional seagoing vessel for long distance voyages is referred to as ''va{{okina}}a tele'' (big ship). The term ''alia'' is also used for larger vessels in Samoa. The smaller ''va{{okina}}a'' used for fishing typically have a float, or outrigger, attached to the main hull for stability. This outrigger part of the canoe is called ''[[ama (sailing)|ama]]'' in various [[Polynesian languages]].
+The ''vaʻa'' usually takes the form a [[dugout canoe]] carved from a single tree trunk, typically used by one to three individuals for fishing activities around the island. It normally has a float or [[outrigger]] (called ''[[ama (sailing)|ama]]'' in various [[Polynesian languages]]), which is attached to the main hull for stability.
-The word is [[cognate]] with other Polynesian words such as ''[[vaka (sailing)|vaka]]'' or the [[Māori language|Māori]] word ''[[waka (canoe)|waka]]''.<ref>[http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/waka-canoes/3 "Waka taua"], Te Ara Encyclopedia of NZ, Retrieved 19 November, 2010</ref>
+The word ''vaʻa'' contrasts with larger traditional [[Polynesian navigation|seagoing vessels for long-distance voyages]], whose names include ''vaʻa tele'' ('big ship'), ''alia'', or ''[[tepukei]]''.
+A modern version of the smaller ''vaʻa'' is used in the sport of [[Outrigger canoe#Modern sport|outrigger canoe racing]]. Due to the extra stability created by the outrigger system, a modified version of the va'a canoe was included as a new [[Paralympic Games]] event from 2020.
-==Types of ''va{{okina}}a''==
-[[File:Va'a tele or 'alia at Mulinu'u, Samoa, circa 1910.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Doubled hulled ''va'a tele'' (large va'a) or ''{{okina}}alia'', Samoa, circa 1910]]
-===Samoa===
-The Samoans have four kinds of canoes, smaller fishing vessels or the larger ocean going ''va'a tele'' or ''{{okina}}alia'' which are mostly out of use today;<ref name=stair>{{cite book |title=Old Samoa |last=Stair |first=John B |year=1983 |publisher=R McMillan |location=Papakura, NZ|isbn= |page= |pages=142–153 |url=http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-StaOldS-t1-body-d6.html |accessdate=12 February, 2011}}''NZ Electronic Text Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ Licence CC-BY-SA''</ref>
-*''paopao'' A small fishing-canoe made from a single log
-*''va'a-alo'' A small fishing-canoe.
-*Large single canoes, termed respectively ''la'au lima'' (five-barred), or six or seven-barred, as the case might be, were canoes varying in length from thirty, fifty, sixty, and even seventy feet, as required. They were balanced by an outrigger firmly lashed to the canoe on the left side at a distance of three feet if meant for pulling, but of five or six feet if required for sailing. The single canoes have a light appearance, the prow and stern being slightly curved upwards, so that merely the bosom or centrepart of an unloaded canoe rests upon the water.
-*{{okina}}alia. Samoan double canoe, ''va'a-tele'' (the big canoe), was much larger, and consisted of two canoes, one longer than the other, lashed together with cross-bars amidships, and having the thatched shed or cabin built upon a stage that projected over the stern, instead of in midships, as in the Tonga canoes. It was much larger than this canoe, but more difficult to manage, yet able to carry one or two ''va'a-alo'', or small fishing-canoes, on deck as required.
+== Types of ''vaʻa'' ==
-==Construction==
-[[File:Va'a and Lefagaoali'i village over water.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Typical ''va'a'' with outrigger for fishing, [[Savai'i|Savai'i Island]], Samoa.]]
+[[File:Va'a tele or 'alia at Mulinu'u, Samoa, circa 1910.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Doubled hulled ''Vaʻa tele'' (large Vaʻa) or ''ʻalia'', Samoa, circa 1910]]
-A main hull of a ''va{{okina}}a'' can be made in one piece, from a hollowed out trunk of a large tree with the ''ama'' float attached later. Other types of Polynesian construction include 'sewing' planks of wood together with special cords and ropes, a type of hand made [[sennit]],  important in the material cultures of the people of [[Oceania]].
-==Other meanings==
+=== Samoa ===
+The Samoans have four kinds of canoes, smaller fishing vessels or the larger oceangoing ''[[va'a-tele]]'' or ''[['alia|ʻalia]]'', which are mostly out of use today;<ref name=stair>{{cite book |title=Old Samoa |last=Stair |first=John B |year=1983 |publisher=R McMillan |location=Papakura, NZ|pages=142–153 |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-StaOldS-t1-body-d6.html |access-date=12 February 2011}}''NZ Electronic Text Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ Licence CC-BY-SA''</ref>
+* [[Paopao (canoe)|''paopao'']] A single [[outrigger canoe]] made from a single log;
+*''vaʻa-alo'' A small fishing-canoe.
+*Large single canoes, termed respectively ''la'au lima'' (five-barred), or six or seven-barred, as the case might be, were canoes varying in length from thirty, fifty, sixty, and even seventy feet, as required. They were balanced by an outrigger firmly lashed to the canoe on the left side at a distance of three feet if meant for pulling, but of five or six feet if required for sailing. The single canoes have a light appearance, the prow and stern being slightly curved upwards, so that merely the bosom or central part of an unloaded canoe rests upon the water.
+*ʻalia. Samoan double canoe, ''[[va'a-tele]]'' (the big canoe), was much larger, and consisted of two canoes, one longer than the other, lashed together with cross-bars amidships, and having the thatched shed or cabin built upon a stage that projected over the stern, instead of in midships, as in the Tonga canoes. It was much larger than this canoe, but more difficult to manage, yet able to carry one or two ''Vaʻa-alo'', or small fishing-canoes, on deck as required.
+== Construction ==
-'''Va'a''' is also a surname in the [[Samoa Islands]], and may refer to:
+[[File:Va'a and Lefagaoali'i village over water.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Typical ''Vaʻa'' with outrigger for fishing, [[Savai'i]] Island, Samoa.]]
+A main hull of a ''vaʻa'' can be made in one piece, from a hollowed out trunk of a large tree with the ''ama'' float attached later. Other types of Polynesian construction include 'sewing' planks of wood together with special cords and ropes, a type of hand made [[sennit]],  important in the material cultures of the people of [[Oceania]].
+== Other meanings ==
+'''Vaʻa''' is also a surname in the [[Samoa Islands]], and may refer to:
 *[[Earl Va'a]] (b. 1976), Samoan rugby player
 *[[Justin Va'a]] (b. 1978), Samoan rugby player
-==See also==
+== See also ==
+{{commons category|Va'a}}
 *[[Culture of Samoa]]
 *[[Polynesian navigation]]
+*[[Hokulea]]
-*[[VAA (disambiguation)]]
+*[[Lakana]]
+*[[Wa'a]]
-==References==
+== References ==
 {{reflist}}
-==External links==
+== External links ==
-* [http://www.takiapaddler.com/ Takia Outrigger Canoe Club Fiji]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080422221442/http://www.takiapaddler.com/ Takia Outrigger Canoe Club Fiji]
+{{Austronesian ships}}
+{{Fishing vessel topics}}
-{{Samoa-stub}}
-{{surname}}
 [[Category:Samoan words and phrases]]
-[[Category:Samoan culture]]
+[[Category:Culture of Samoa]]
 [[Category:Polynesian navigation]]
+[[Category:Outrigger canoes]]
+[[Category:Indigenous boats]]

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