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3 The Hawaiian canoe

MAKING CANOES WAS AN OUTSTANDING POLYNESIAN skill. Large ocean-going canoes carried the first immigrants to Hawaii from the Marquesan and Society Islands. Once settled, the Hawaiians developed canoes suitable for inter-island travel, war and off shore fishing.

Canoes (wa’a), were vital to daily life. In 1778 there were thousands in use in Hawaii. Over 3,000 came to greet Captain Cook’s ships when they anchored in Kealakekua Bay.

Island travel was for trade, political or social purposes. Channels were rough. Only seaworthy canoes were safe when trade winds pressed against contrary currents. Some canoes were sailed with tailored sheets of pandanus matting. Others were paddled or both paddled and sailed. The smallest fishing canoes could be handled by one or two men; the largest war vessels could carry a hundred or more people. Many war canoes in the conquering navy of Kamehameha I were large enough to mount light European cannon of several kinds.

Canoe makers knew how to use their stone adzes and secure the aid of the gods. At every stage from felling the tree to finished vessel any mistake in ritual endangered the mana or “good luck” of the canoe and the life of the maker himself.