Canoe

A Tribute to the Native Canoe Western Solomons Craftsmanship

Letter to the Editor I NOTICE in your issue of January, an interesting reference by Harold Cooper to the Solomon Islands canoe.

This reference is somewhat misleading —although not, of course, intentionally so. Mr. Cooper writes: “The canoe used by the Solomon Islanders has few refine ments. It is of the primitive dug-out type.”

Many of their dug-out canoes are very skilfully constructed and perfectly bal anced; but the true Solomon Island canoe is not a dug-out canoe at all, such as we find in New Guinea, but is a clever and remarkable piece of work manship.

What I call the real Solomon Islands canoe is found in the Western Solomons and Choiseul. They are made from pieces of selected and treated timber, shaped specially in each case for its par ticular position in the finished craft.

Each timber is thin and light, with a bevelled edge; the average width is nine inches, but tapers to allow of clever fit ting. The bevelled edge of one board is sewn to the bevelled edge of its neigh bour. The bow and stern pieces, along with the keel, are very cleverly fitted. A most effective glue, known as “sita” and like a thick tan, is obtained from a root, and is used to seal thoroughly all joints, and the holes through which the thou sands of stitches have passed. The out side of the canoe is then given a pro tective outer coat of this same glue, which also has the effect of colouring it black. rE craft is excellently buttressed and reinforced from within —always with a view to correct balance. The clev erly carved reinforcing boards are actually part of the sewn-in planks, which are left for this purpose.

The completed canoe has a fine stream lined appearance and is wonderfully bal anced. It is light and free moving— leaving our own type of rowing-boat in the shade in this regard.

These finely-wrought canoes are works of art, with both bow and stern parts rising high and symmetrically from the body of the canoe itself. Often they are worked with various pearl-shell inset designs. The larger, sea-going craft will accommodate a crew of 30 to 40 men.

They are things of balance and beauty, these canoes of the Western Solomons (New Georgia, Vella Lavella, Rendova and other associated islands) and neigh bouring Choiseul. It is a thrill to ride in one of the larger ones, with its score or more of paddlers working in perfect, powerful unison. The smaller ones need to be handled by balancing specialists— as a novice very quickly realises.

There are dug-out canoes in these parts, as well, these days—and it is feared that there is an unfortunate ten dency to have them replace the finer, more cleverly-wrought craft. I have heard it said that, in grace and charm, these real Solomon Island canoes outdo the gondolas of Venice.

Mr. Cooper’s article was excellent and extremely interesting, and it is good to know that Solomons canoes have been so effectively and ably used in this time of crisis; but his mention of only the “dug out” type of canoe will give a wrong impression of the real skill of these people.

I am, etc.,

A. J. Campbell.

SDA Mission, Aroma, Papua. 2/3/44.