Fijian Navigators

Memories of the Great Canoes

WE all know something of the great trans-ocean canoe voyages made in pre-European times by Tahitians, Raro tongans, and Samoans, with only sun and stars to guide them. Mr. Thomas Horne, of Suva, in May, gave the Pacific Islands Club some details of notable but lesser-known canoe voyages made by Fijians and Tongans.

Mr, Horne landed in Fiji in 1883, in time to learn from some of the old chiefs traditional accounts of those voyages which otherwise might have been lost.

From time immemorial, the Tongans made voyages b«tween their islands and those of Fiji. They came with the south east trades in their soft-wood canoes.

Very little hard wood grew in Tonga.

The only island where they had any forests of importance was Vavau. On arrival in Fiji, they scrapped their canoes, and built others of vesi, a hard wood that was particularly desirable in their eyes, “It is said that the Tongans taught the Fijians to build canoes,” remarked Mr.

Horne. “If that was the case, the Fijians proved apt pupils, because they became the best canoe-builders in the South Pacific.” All the tools they possessed were an adze of stone, a chisel made of the same substance, and the rough skin of the ray, (called vai by the Fijians).

The favourite canoe was the great double craft or druo, constructed of planks, and sewn together with coconut sennet. The lower part of the hull was generally carved from a single tree: the upper works were formed of planks so admir ably fitted as to hardly need the caulking of a thin strip of fibre.

Only one mast was used in the Fijian

canoes, and the sail was the usual lan teen variety. As was the case elsewhere in the Pacific, these canoes all had their names. In a fair wind they could sail up to 12 miles an hour, and beat to wind ward at about four miles an hour. They were steered with either two or three paddles. The great steer-oar served as a lee or centre-board. With its aid, the craft were hove to in heavy weather.

“How did the Fijians navigate?” asked Mr. Horne. “No one really knows. The answer is, of course —partly by the sun and partly by the stars. At any rate, they generally managed to get to their destination.”

For years, the Tongans travelled be tween the Lau group and their own is lands. Cargoes of vesi planks, sandal wood, tapa, and sinnet, and war clubs, made of hard wood, were taken by them to their own islands. As many as 250 men would travel in some of the canoes.

“Mariner’s ‘Tonga,’ which is recognised as a Tongan classic as far as the history of those islands is concerned,” added the speaker, “mentions voyages between Tonga and Fiji as ordinary events. The Fijians also sailed to Samoa. Rotumah, Futuna, Wallis, and as far as the Ellice group.”

The last fleet of canoes from Tonga sailed for Fiji in 1855, when King George I. (Taufa’ahau) came with 30 double sailing canoes, and called at Moce, Ka keba, Kabara, Totoya, Moala, and Gau.

Naturally, there were no ports of entry or quarantine restrictions in those days.

The Tongans left in February of that year and arrived at Bau on March 21, where they joined forces with Cakabau.

A combined fleet of 143 canoes attacked and took Kaba, and then went on to sub due Rewa. At Nukulau Island they res ted and feasted, and then went on to Kadavu and so returned home without losing a single canoe.

The largest canoe in Fijian records, declared Mr. Horne, was built at Somo Somo, Taviuni, and was called “Rusa e Vanua” (Rot in the Land). “She was given that name because some of the chiefs thought she was so big that she could never be launched,” he added. “But she was launched alright and sailed per fectly.” “Rusa e Vanua” was subse quently lost with all hands on a voyage to Tonga. Mr. Horne gave her dimensions

as: 118 feet in length; beam of main canoe, 7 feet 6 inches; draft, 3 feet; length of platform, 50 feet; width, 24 feet; mast, 68 feet; and yard, 90 feet.

Another large canoe was the “Rama Rama,” built by Tongans at Somo Somo for Tui Cakau: she was 99 feet long and carried a crew of 50. On one journey be tween Taviuni and Bau she accommo dated an additional 200 warriors. The speaker mentioned that his old friend, Mr. Jack Waters, was present in 1873 at the laying of her keel. Mr. George Barker, who is now in charge of the Suva Museum, was present when she was broken up at Somo Somo. “Rama Rama” took five years to build, and was given to Cakabau by Tui Cakau. She made three voyages to Tonga. Her mast

head, and several of her steer oars, (which are 34 feet in length), are in the Suva Museum.

Mr. Horne also made mention of the “Joni,” built at Lakeba by Ratu Mara on his return from exile in Tonga. This canoe was given the name of “Joni” after that chief’s son, the well-known Ratu Joni Madrai Wi Wi. Vesi for her hull and planks was brought from Cakadrove.

“Joni” was 96 feet in length, had a beam of 6 feet 2 inches, a draft of 2 feet 7 inches, and a platform of 25 feet by 21 feet. Her mast was 60 feet high, and her yard was 81 feet.

Mara, according to Mr. Horne, when in command of his war vessels, was Fiji’s most experienced admiral. It was not for nothing that he has been called the “Nelson of Fiji.” When* in command of the “Joni” he rammed many an enemy craft. This vessel always flew long white streamers. After the defeat of Ratu Mara at Kaba he escaped in her to Lau., The “Joni” was subsequently owned by Caka bau, and was left by him to his eldest son, Ratu Epeli. When owned by the latter chief Mr. Horne sailed in her from Bau to Levuka.

The son of Ratu Joni, Mr. Horne ex plained, was the Hon. Ratu Sukuna, a member of the English bar, who fought with the French Foreign Legion during the Great War, and now District Com missioner in the Lau Group. “And a perfect gentleman if ever there was one!” the speaker added. Ratu Sukuna, inci dentally, was one of the Fijian repre sentatives at the Coronation of King George VI.

Mr. Horne said that he had compiled a complete history of the tribes that once occupied the country around Suva and neighbourhood, from the time they des cended from the mountains until the period of the extensive massacre, that took place on the site of Sir Maynard Hedstrom’s present home. The popula tion was at one time “enormous.” But, following the massacre, the people left the district, and for almost half a cen tury it was practically deserted.

“But home is always home to the Fijian,” he remarked, “and eventually some of their descendants returned to the vicinity of Suva.”

Mr. J. Scott, Chief Engineer at the Nausori mill of the Colonial Sugar Re fining Company, returned to Fiji on May 6.

Mr. K. B. Thorne arrived on May 21 to rejoin the Suva staff of the Bank of New Zealand. Mr. H. Coombe is another member of this bank staff who recently rejoined after an absence of some years.

Mr. C. H. Dorreen and Mr. S. R. Egan, of the bank’s Suva staff, have returned to N.Z.

The death occurred at Naduri, near Labasa, Fiji, on May 16, of Mr. F. A.

Archibald, in his 56th year. Mr, Archi bald was an old mining man, well known in Australia. He had spent many years in Fiji and was the discoverer of the Mount Kasi mine. He leaves a widow and two children.