Canoes of Old
Wa`a o ke Au Kahiko
Clever Craft
What did an ancient Hawaiian voyaging canoe look like?
Hawaiian artist Herb Kane studied historically documented
canoes across Polynesia to identify common ancestral
elements. The designs reveal the remarkable engineering
know-how of Polynesia's ancient architects:
- Rounded V-shaped ka`ele (hulls) help maintain a
course;
- More ka`ele (hull) volume forward of the mid-section
keeps the canoe balanced under strong winds;
- Straight `iako (crossbeams), lashed diagonally,
control conflicting stresses on the 2 ka`ele;
- Ka`ele (hulls) lashed close together reduce stress on
the crosspieces;
- Hoe uli (steering paddles) provide better control
than rudders;
- Triangular pe`a (sails), each lashed to 2 spars (which
serve as mast & boom);
- Manu (endpieces) higher at the hope (stern) than
the ihu bow) help break a following wave crest.
I ulu no ka lala i ke kumu.
The branches grow because of the trunk.
Without our ancestors we would not be here.
(`Olelo No`eau #1261; Pukui 1983)
Designing Hawai`iloa
Back Gallery of the Hawai`iloa Exhibit
Back to the Hawai'iloa page
Back to the Past Exhibits Page
Copyright © 1995, by Bishop Museum. All rights reserved. All media are for the personal use of students, scholars and the public. Any commercial use or publication of them is strictly prohibited.
If you have any comments/suggestions for the documents on this server, send e-mail
to webmaster@bishopmuseum.org
BISHOP MUSEUM
The State Museum of Natural and Cultural History
For Museum Information, call (808) 847-3511
Bishop Museum 1525 Bernice Street Honolulu Hawai‘i 96817-0916 USA
Revised on August 29, 1996 by mcb