Among the outstanding achievements of the Hawaiian people was their skill in building a wide variety of efficient and well-crafted canoes. Distinguished scholar Dr. Donald D. Kilolani Mitchell cites the Hawaiian canoe as being a "cultural peak" in the history of Hawaii. Hawaiian Canoe-Building Traditions was created to highlight this particular "cultural peak." Canoe building was, and remains, a proud art in Hawaii. This combination textbook/workbook emphasizes the steps followed in the construction of an ancient canoe, includes a chapter on types of canoes, and ends with a section on contemporary Hawaiian sailing canoes. Hawaiian Canoe-Building Traditions was designed for use within the broader fields of "Hawaiian Studies" and "Ocean Studies." Hawaii's children should always be encouraged to learn more about the place in which they live. And surrounded by the largest ocean in the world as they are, their curriculum should include a unit on seafaring in Hawaii and the Pacific. The Resource and Development Component of the Hawaiian Studies Institute wishes to thank Dr. Mitchell for his encouragement and never-ending good will; Rob...

The waa, or the canoe, played a very important role in Hawaii's history and traditional lifestyle. When the early settlers migrated from Kahiki to Hawaii, they journeyed by double-hulled canoes (waa kaulua). Upon their arrival, they continued to build and use canoes for work, travel, and play. Having found an abundance of very tall and large koa trees (scientific name: Acacia koa) in the islands, the settlers began the practice of making canoes from single, hollowed-out logs. The resultant "dugout" canoes were distinctly different from the plank-lashed canoes that had carried them from Kahiki. The Hawaiians constructed canoes of various designs and sizes. The design and size of a canoe depended upon its use. Smaller canoes were used for fishing and for traveling around the island. Larger canoes were used for distant trips to other islands. Oftentimes, it was easier to travel by sea than by land. Certain canoes were used in times of war. Others were used for sports and recreation. From the selection and the felling of a tree, to the hewing, hauling, finishing, and the launching of the finished canoe, the making of a waa was an eno...

Preface. v -- Introduction. 1 -- Selection. 3 -- Felling. 9 -- Hewing. 15 -- Hauling. 19 -- Finishing. 25 -- Consecration and Launching. 33 -- Tools. 39 -- Parts of a Canoe. 47 -- Types of Canoes. 57 -- Contemporary Hawaiian Sailing Canoes. 63 -- Summary. 83 -- Suggested Reading List. 85 -- Suggested Audio-Visual Resources. 86 -- Additional Resources. 86 --...