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===Samoa=== |
===Samoa=== |
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The Samoans have four kinds of canoes, smaller fishing vessels or the larger oceangoing ''va'a |
The Samoans have four kinds of canoes, smaller fishing vessels or the larger oceangoing ''[[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> |
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*''paopao'' A small fishing-canoe made from a single log |
*''paopao'' A small fishing-canoe made from a single log |
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*''va'a-alo'' A small fishing-canoe. |
*''va'a-alo'' A small fishing-canoe. |
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*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. |
*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. |
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*{{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. |
*{{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. |
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==Construction== |
==Construction== |
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Revision as of 12:23, 12 January 2015
Va'a is a word in Samoan, Hawaiian and Tahitian which means 'boat', 'canoe' or 'ship'.[1] A larger traditional seagoing vessel for long distance voyages is referred to as vaʻa tele (big ship). The term alia is also used for larger vessels in Samoa. The smaller vaʻa 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 in various Polynesian languages.
The word is cognate with other Polynesian words such as vaka or the Māori word waka.[2]
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 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.
- 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 va'a-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
Va'a 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
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.
- ^ "Waka taua", Te Ara Encyclopedia of NZ, Retrieved 19 November 2010
- ^ 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
This page lists people with the surname Va'a.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.