Carpenter Shed

The carpenters' shed (fale ta), though used in connection with the construction of the highest type of houses, is in itself merely a rough leanto roof, supported by three forked stakes at the back and the front. (See fig. 1.) The roof of horizontal poles and cross pieces covered by coconut leaf sheets overlapped from behind forwards, is sufficient to afford shelter from the sun and from a moderate amount of rain. Within the shed, the older carpenters sat cross-legged trimming timber with their short handled adzes and shaping the joints of the thatch rafters and the principal purlins. The fale ta (fig. 1) was seen in use on the island of Ofu.

Similar sheds seen at other places were merely covered with coconut leaves arid even the rounded end section of an old house was seen in use. The name fale ta (fale, house; ta, to strike, as in using an adz) refers to the function of the carpenter's shed and may be applied to any shape of building used for this purpose. Because of the ease of construction the leanto shed was the usual form for these buildings.