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The Material Culture of the Cook Islands (Aitutaki)

The Outrigger

The Outrigger.

Cross Booms, kiato. The cross booms are attached to the canoe on the one side, and the outrigger float on the other. In all the canoes seen there were two. They are called kiato, and are invariably made of iron-wood, toa.

The straight iron-wood poles cross both gunwales of the canoe. The part that crosses the gunwale is wrapped round, vahi, with dry pandanus leaf, or the kaka wrapping at the base of the cocoanut leaf. Holes are bored through the gunwale in front of and behind the boom. Through the holes sinnet braid is passed backwards and forwards over the boom, to securely lash it to the gunwales.

The booms always project on the left side of the canoe. The length varies with the size of the canoe. In the twenty canoes examined in Aitutaki, the distance between the float and the hull varied from 3 feet 10 inches to 7 feet 4 inches. In sailing canoes the booms are longer. In racing canoes the booms are more slender and whippy at the float end. A stiff boom will cause the float to leave the water more suddenly during a gust of wind, and increase the chance of capsizing. A whippy boom will bend as the canoe heels over.

Instead of a straight pole, the Rarotongan booms are cut with a projecting branch on the float end.

The float, ama. The float, or ama, is generally referred to as the outrigger. It is usually made of hau, and sometimes puka. Timber of the right size may be selected, or larger timber may be dubbed down. In Aitutaki, owing to the amount of sailing in the lagoon, the floats are larger than usual, to get extra weight. As the float is always kept on the windward side, extra weight is needed to keep the float down. In the shorter canoes it is 3 to 4 feet shorter than page 266the hull. In the canoes above 20 feet it may be 6 or 7 or even 10 feet shorter. In the Aitutaki canoes, that sail both ways, the float is sharpened at both ends. In the one-way paddling canoes of other islands the posterior end is usually left unsharpened.

In the large cargo canoes of Mangaia the floats are very large, and two men seated on the cross-booms, with their feet on the float, were observed paddling.

Connecting pegs, patiatia. The connection between the booms and the float is indirect, by means of intervening pegs. Considerable variation amongst the cosmopolitan inhabitants of Rarotonga was noticed. Many people from other islands in the group attend the Mission school, and many small colonies have settled there for labour. They keep the canoe technique of their own homes. In Aitutaki, however, there was only one form of connecting peg. This was the Y-shaped peg, with the single arm driven into the float. It was noticed that in many cases the peg was driven right through the float and cut off beneath. The two upper arms of the Y were not placed in the longitudinal axis of the float, but diagonally across it.

Figure 231.The indirect float attachment of Aitutaki.

Figure 231.
The indirect float attachment of Aitutaki.

A—Y-shaped, small canoes. B-Four peg, voyaging canoes.

The peg consisted of a forked branch of iron wood. The boom, when placed between the two diverging arms, was not pushed close down into the bottom of the fork. By keeping it up a little, each arm was separately lashed to the boom. Fig. 231A. Play was thus prevented and the attachment rendered firm. There was no necessity for any fore and aft stays or lashings. Every canoe seen in Aitutaki had this form of attachment. As in sailing the heavy floats are frequently out of the water and then dashed down again, the Aitutaki attachment has been well tested. The canoe in Fig. 232 was seen in Rarotonga and diagnosed as Aitutaki from the float connection. The owner, though a page 267Mangaian, had been brought up from childhood in Aitutaki and had learned their technique.

In the large Aitutaki sea-going canoes of olden times four straight pegs were used, two from either side crossing below the boom, Fig. 231B.

The boom was lashed on with strips of hau bark. With heavy floats, the lashings round the booms were untied on landing, and the float, with the pegs, taken off. On using the canoe again, the float was often tied on in the water to get the right balance.

Figure 232.Aitutaki Canoe in Rarotonga.

Figure 232.
Aitutaki Canoe in Rarotonga.

The Rarotongan attachment is by means of the bent branch projecting downwards from the float end of the boom. This branch is directly inserted into a hole in the float. Though in form it may appear as a direct attachment, it does not function entirely as such. The downward projecting branch keeps the float at the right distance away from the boom, but it is not sufficient to attach the float to the boom. The float has to be attached to the boom by fore and aft lashings of sinnet, Fig. 233. Holes are pierced diagonally from the flat upper surface of the float towards the sides. There may be one near each side edge, a little distance behind the boom arm insertion, and a similar pair in front. From these sinnet is lashed to the straight arm page 268
Figure 233. Rarotongan float attachment.

Figure 233.
Rarotongan float attachment.

A, Cross section; B, from the side.

of the boom which projects above the float. Thus the boom is stayed fore and aft, and the float cannot fall off. There may be only one pair of lashings, instead of two. In these days fine wire is fixed to the upper surface of the float by staples, and then twisted round the boom. Thus we see that the downward projecting arm of the boom is not sufficient attachment in itself. It is different to a boom that is curved in its own length and directly tied to the float.

The author's first instruction on canoes was on the beach at Aitutaki called Te-patiatia-o-te-vaka-o-Tane. An ancestor named Tane had landed there and named the spot "The Float Attachment of the Canoe of Tane."

Longitudinal pole across booms, rakau taomi ama. Mention has been made of a longitudinal pole that is tied to the booms. Such a one is seen in Fig. 223. It will be noted that it is much further out than the Rarotongan tango, or amo as it is called in other islands of the group. It is too far away from the hull to be of service in carrying the canoe.

When sailing the outrigger is always kept on the windward side. If the canoe heels over the float comes up out of the water. It adds excitement to sail with the float up in the air and probably the canoe goes faster as there would be less resistance by friction in the water. There comes a time, however, when the float by rising too high would cause a capsize. It is then, or just before then, that the canoeist leans out on the longitudinal pole to taomi te ama, keep the float down. Hence the longitudinal pole is called the rakau taomi ama the pole for keeping down the float.

The canoe and the outrigger have been described, but there are a number of accessory objects necessary to the canoe equipment.

The paddle, Hoe. The paddle or hoe of proper pattern is scarce. The sail and the pole are so much used in the lagoon that old-time paddles are hardly made. An ordinary page 269oar with a short handle is used for steering the canoes when sailing.

The old type of paddle drawn for me is shown in Fig. 234. The handle is kakau and the blade, the rapa.

Figure 234.Aitutaki Paddle.

Figure 234.
Aitutaki Paddle.

The end of the handle is usually knobbed. The blade at the handle junction is thick and marked as in the Figure. The blade is pointed and there is a distinct angle where it turns towards the point.

The pole, toko. Every canoe in the lagoon carries a pole of hau for poling over the shallow parts. The canoe moves faster than with a paddle. In Fig. 223, the occupant of the canoe is seen holding his canoe in position with a pole or toko.

The bailer, ahu or tata. For ordinary small craft a half cocoanut shell was quite sufficient to bail out the bilge water. This was termed an ipu ahu riu. Ipu means the split cocoanut shell, and ahu to bail out. Sea water is called tai, but the sea water in the hold of a canoe is riu. Riu is also the hold of the canoe.

The old type of bailer is shaped as in Fig. 235. One of these was seen. A length of rounded wood had been
Figure 235. Old-time Aitutaki Bailer.

Figure 235.
Old-time Aitutaki Bailer.

hollowed out and one end left closed. A piece had been cut away on either side of the central strip to form a handle. The water was scooped up through the open end B. It is easy to see that if the unnecessary part B, marked by the dotted lines, was cut away and the handle strip left, the modern bailer of the Maori type would be present in its main features. This type was in use, but no specimens could be located. It was called a tata.

The bailer of the canoe of the ancestor, Te Erui, was of the old type. In an ancient pehe it is referred to by name.

page 270

Pehe of Te Erui's Canoe Bailer.
Ahu-ahu-maro-renga,
Te tata i te vaka,
Te Erui, Matareka,
Te tahunga tuhoe.

Ahu-ahu-maro-renga,
The bailer of the canoe
Of Te Erui and Matareka,
The steersmen of skill.

The term ahu, as a bailer, is taken from the historic bailer named above. It is an old name, but the older one of tata remained in more common use.

Bailers were made of kuru or hau.

The mast, tira. The mast was usually a pole of hau. The butt end was passed through the hole in the papatira thwart and slipped in the raised ring on the bottom of the hull. As the outrigger had to be kept to windward, the sail was taken down at the end of a tack. The mast was shifted to the other thwart and sail re-hoisted. The canoe then tacked stern first instead of going about. As both ends of the canoe were pointed, the change made no difference.

The masts on the sea-going canoes of note were named. Thus, when Te Erui, on his first attempt to reach Aitutaki, was forced to return by a hurricane, urihia, he was told by the priest that it was due to the wrong naming, not only of the canoe, but of the mast. The name of the mast was Tu-te-rangi-marama. On fitting up a new vessel, the two masts were named after the gods, Rongo and Tangaroa. The naming in this instance no doubt contributed psychologically to his subsequent success. We have seen that the ropes staying them were also named.

The sail, hie or hahangi. The sail was made by plaiting pandanus strips into a mat. It was said that the old sails were rectangular, and that old sleeping mats were used on occasion. E aro ha te hie—the sail was four-sided. It was fastened to the mast by one side, and had a diagonal sprit, toko. Of triangular sails, no information was obtained.

The usual name is hie, but the almost forgotten name of hahangi was also used. When Tautoru sailed out of the Hidden Land of Taki-nuku-akau to seek his father at Hiti-kau, the people, on seeing his sail, called "Teia te page 271hira"—"There is the hira." Hira means the sail and mast together. It seems to be derived from hie, sail, and tira, mast, by taking the first syllable of the former and the second syllable of the latter.

Anchor, Tutau or hakamou. The anchor was a suitable stone as regards weight, but does not seem to have been worked in any way. Some were named. Thus the navigator, Te Muna Korero, who named the islet of Maina, came from Avaiki in the canoe Te Ua-to-ahuahu. His anchor was named Te Kinakina.

Skids, hakapapa. The lighter canoes are carried down to the water, but skids were used with some of the larger craft, such as the sea-voyaging pahi. The skids were called hakapapa. The Maori word rango is not used for skids. It is applied to pieces of wood upon which the canoe may be rested to keep it off the ground, either in the open or in a shed.

Direction terms. The float, or ama, is always lashed on the left or port side, of the canoe. In sailing the float is always kept to windward. Thus, as before mentioned, when the canoe heels over, the outrigger float rises out of the water. It is easier to prevent the canoe from capsizing by leaning out over the longitudinal pole between the booms. If the outrigger were on the leeward side the canoe would be capsized through the float being pushed under as the canoe heeled over. There is no way of preventing this, as these canoes have no balance board on the side opposite the outrigger. In tacking the canoe does not go about, but the mast is shifted so as to keep the outrigger to windward. Hence what was the true bow now functions as the stern. It is therefore useless to have fixed terms in relation to the true bow. This was met by using them in relation to the position of the outrigger. Thus, no matter which end of the canoe functioned as the bow, the outrigger side was always called ama and the side opposite the outrigger, katea. The lookout man in the bow, in avoiding the numerous rocks and shallows that studded the lagoon, called back to the steersman, "Haere ki ama," or "Haere ki katea." This meant, "Go to the outrigger side" or "Go to the side with no outrigger."

Hauling chanty, pehe. When several men were employed in hauling the large canoes a hauling chanty or pehe was used.

page 272

The following is an example:

Pehe.
Solo. Chorus.
Ai ai oa. O—
Ai ai oa. O—
Oro rakau e— Oro inano e—
Oro rakau e— Oro inano e—
Aku poru te tini. Aku poru te matakitaki, Ka re koe.
Canoe Chanty.
Ai ai o—a. O—
Ai ai o—a. O—
The tree scrapes along. The male pandanus scrapes along.
The tree scrapes along. The male pandanus scrapes along.
My posture movements are myriad. Our posturing is being admired, Victory is yours.

In the chorus reply to the last line, all the haulers dance. Poru is the poetical form of paru, soft, flexible, as of the bodies when dancing.

Canoes at Aitutaki. The canoes seen at Aitutaki were all of the type described. The twenty canoes examined measured in length from 13 feet 7 inches to 28 feet 10 inches. For the local canoe races they are generally divided into four classes, according to length: up to 17 feet, over 17 feet to 18 feet, over 18 feet to 21 feet, and over 21 feet. Of the twenty canoes mentioned, eleven were in the first division, four in the second one in the third, and four in the fourth.