Bievettyy RGM Gelatin ta the Latest Addition to its Range: AGT WN Cea bras tig ian GSS EMM Rip ea ics H: Lelie is 4he Barracuda is entitely Australi Le atid mI CO ic Ara Re cer co i Caco mn A GDR MCMUCM Lg toll Watt MN PecIAeleae Ce cM ILE LaciL | ee TlH PURI MUM Clemssr arcs (eit le Beeld ia Cp i, bee Ges Ce site el eM Melber ea ctlele imc micro Cl BOE alt eel Ocean bel em Cmte ura Meme eel GENE MUM CHT MRM Tee MHC OC MCL gy icine umes e ge MA Mel ce eRe CM Rate immadiats delivery (subject to approval of colour). See CRB IASC ee Ree ER lee CIs Pe uote(PN Sg ehh) cE vy i i Ly a Outrigger Canoe Paddling Comes to Sast Coast USA... CALL US FOR INFORMATION REGARDING: “Outrigger elem cece Eran MeO Oat eka Hoag eee MeN Mee ean eM eer PUM Mec el RU UN (9 TT OM Ly OCI Ocean Master, Ole PNT alcctMmenU Nn Olena UR AU Va a ine el VARY ERY PO Box 639 Essex, Connecticut USA 06426STEVE WEST Steve West has had a love of padle sports ence he was nine padating primarily sea kayaks. Dung the ‘ate seventies and early eghtes he became an early paneer of professional salboarding n Europe. rwoled wth recng, demonstrating, designng and promotion, leading to requests for freelance photograph ¢ and wntten contributions tomagaanes wortdwide Mamntainng a love of paddle sports. he became involved wth ‘utngger canoe padding in Austratan 1989 becoming a foundng member of Mooloolaba Outryger Canoe Cub and past Vice Presdent and has ewolernent wath the Australan ‘Oatngger Canoe Racing Association Steve isan actwe paddler and researches the sport and atts elements, on afl time bass. vavellng extensively each year to gather information ‘for Kany Cuture FOOTNOTE Karu Cuttsre Volume |, 1995 arte ented, "The Padd'ng Stroke, was credted ints entirety to |2son Somervie-Kimin, We have since dscovered ths artide was in fact based on a feature writen by jenny Rudquistaleadng American Cl and C2 paddle and pubisred in a magare we are erable to ‘dently. We apologise or ths error a the article was published in good fath on the undestanding from the contnbulor that it was indeed their work. Contributors pease ensure anc’ for consideration are credted anpropnately. Theft of intellectual property fa serious matter and often n breach of copynght. ‘Apart from any ir purposes ef pevate sey. or research 2s permited under the copyrght act, no pat ofthis publcaton may be reproduced, stored in a reve system, or transite in ay form ‘or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording ot coherwise, without writen permission. tags shouldbe addressed ‘to the publhers ll logos remain de property of cubs, busineses ‘os organisations. BIBLIOGRAPHY Haddon AC, Homeil j, Canoes of Oceania. Honolulu Bishop | Museum Press 1991. Toro “Andras” A, Canoeng - An lym Sport. 1986 Ka'nCuture spublshed on an annual boi tthe beginning of och year, Canibus nthe farm of ype wreten artis and photographs for consideration ove most welcome. PO Box 506, SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA, QLD 4558 ‘TevePHone & Fax (07) $479 1327 InerennationaL #61 7 5479 1327 INTERNET ‘emait: kanu@ozemailcomau Wee Site htpfwwrw.oremail.comau/-kanu Copyright © Steve West 1997 West, SR. Ka'nu - Culture 1997 ISSN 1328-1201 PUBLISHER Steve West (Bain: Books) EDITORS Steve & Rose West COPY EDITOR Rove West CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS Kns Keldsen (New Zealand} "Maui Kjeldsen (New Zealand) Ni Ching (Caifom a USA} Carel Hogan (Big sland - Hawai) "Nolan Mendes / Peter Melyan (Guam USA) Jo Anne Van Tiburg (UCLA Calfoma USA) ‘Ted Ralston (Calforma USA) ‘Suzy Homiby (Fagland) ‘CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kris Kjeldsen. Sue Net, Suay Homby. Calan Chow Daphne Houghard, Ted Ralston Jo Anne Van Tiburg johanres Van Tiburg Tito Paoa, Mike Roberts Katie Benedkct Ben Enfield, Nico Haoa. Peter Melyan, Molotali Photos Courtesy of Baron Hawa‘ DESIGN & PRE-PRESS Steve & Rose West PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Tony tzard PRINTING, FILM AND SEPARATIONS PH Productions Pte Ltd. Singapore MAHALO NUI LOA ALSO TO Torey Brown and the gris from Columbia River Outrigger. Walter Gull, Todd Bradley, Suzy Homby, John Gnfiths, Kech Robinson, “The Poi Boys” with specal thanks to Brian Mulvaney. COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Daphne Houghard. ‘Olympic kayak padaler Sheila Conover strokes for OffShore in the ‘$6 Catalina race.iM Firat EMSC eloleeelllm amen ace and around the; island of Guam i en Ean tere ety 120 Rigging An in-depth look at some con: La DRCRCHR SINCE CUR CEU A PEER eel ike Wel el ers Poy CES Ls Earn up ins flee Me Caee mel eA 4 Tea er itd to Solo Canoe Race, Tahiti Considered one of the toughest Ce UEC LUN CU SR Ot MST Lee ceer en ETa aa ENTAloha and Ohana We live in exciting times! With regard to the development of outrigger canoe paddling worldwide, so much is going on in so many different places, on so many different levels, that it is difficult to keep up, each one of us is contributing to this growth simply by being involved, At the individual level, amongst the hype of training and taking outrigger canoe racing so seriously, it would seem that there is, in some places, a need to consider taking the time to nurture fun and friendship — to appreciate this element of canoe paddling and to recognise what it offers at club, grass roots level. Time to experience the non-racing aspects of outrigger canoe paddling is vital to a fulfiling involvement with the sport. Create social activities centred around paddling, share knowledge with others, learn about and respect the heritage of the outrigger canoe. In this way the true spirit of outrigger canoe paddling - aloha and ohana - will be nurtured locally, and, as the sport grows, spread globally. In this book you will meet many people whose love of and respect for the outrigger canoe shines through their desire to share with others. Mahalo to them for their support and contributions which assist in spreading the spirit of canoe culture around the planet. Thank you too for your support of this aim by buying our third volume of Ka’nu Culture, We trust that you will be inspired by what you read and see within. Mahalo nui toa Steve West and Rosie West Pe ee .e-mail We receive a great deal of correspondence, so we thought to share some with you. E-mail is proving to be a particularly useful asset for our sport which is spread so far and wide. Mahalo to every one of our supporters and to those who took the time to send us words of encouragement and praise from all over the planet. We trust that with your continued support, Ka’nu Culture will play an important role in the growth of outrigger canoe paddling. Send email to: kanu@ozemail.com.au Mime-Version: 1.0 9 Date: Thu, 5 Sep 1996 14:15:16 -1000 a ni To: kanu@ ozemail.com.au (Steve West) rect €-Mal l From: mberwind@ maui.com (Michael W. Berwind) yj Aloha from Maui Subject: KA'NU CULTURE | wanted to write and let you know how much | have enjoyed your two volumes of Ka'nu Culture. Volume 1 was good but Volume 2 was great. If you top it with Volume 3, | will need a Valium to come down off the high! Rarely have | seen a sports publication that delivers. this kind of quality and value. For those of us who are just getting started with paddling, your two volumes are a gift from the Gods. Regards, Michael W. Berwind (Mahalo nui loa for your heart-warming words.) Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 19:23:59 -0500 From: Bany Thomas Subject: KANU CULTURE, VOLUME 2 Just purchased Kanu Culture Volume 2. My knowledge of the sport and its cultural heritage has just tripled in the past hour of reading. As outrigger canoeing spreads to ever more distant places, the sort of knowledge contained in Ka'nu Culture will be critical to maintaining the sport's unique and addictive feel. Thankyou. Regards, Barry Thomas. (So pleased to know Kanu Culture is really making a difference)Ka'nu Culture - Incoming Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 07:54:59 -0700. From: Ibie@ix.netcom.com (LISA BIE) Subject: 1995 ISSUE California To: kanu@ozemail.com.au (Steve West) Hi Steve! After | had sent you email, | attended the second annual Hokule’a Celebration at Chrissy Fields, San Francisco. At a booth selling her pictures along with your 1995 issue, was Daphne Houghard. limmediately purchased Ka'nu Culture along with my long distance race pictures. Uhave told ali my teamates how beneficial your books are and also recommended that they purchase both Issues. In fact, my sister has not yet returned my 1996 issuel | really appreciate the attention you and your staff has given to the sport and your customers. Thanks again and we will be waiting for the next issue! Aloha, Lori-Ann Saguindel (Mahalo from Rosie and myself as the “staff” at Batini Books.) Date: Mon, 28 Oct 1996 10:52:11 +0800 (HKT) From: Dr Anne Lytle To: Steve West Subject: USED CANOE! Hong Kong Meanialtt X-X-Sender: mnlytle@ustec3.ust.hk ; Uy | Dear Steve : MIME-Version: 1.0 ‘Wow! | am so excited to have discovered this great community of people passionate about outrigging. Myself and several others have only been paddling outriggers (here in Asia, dragon boats tend to take the spotlight) for a little more than a year now, and we are totally hooked. There Is nothing | would like more than to really spread enthusiasm for the sport across Hong Kong, and potentially into southern China. Of course, starting off such an endeavour is a bit difficult, which is why we want to find a used canoe to conserve on finances a bit until we get a larger base of people. | would so much appreciate any assistance that you could provide in helping us find one! My contacts in the outrigger world now are zero, but hopefully will grow with time! So please, we would value any assistance that you could provide to us In locating a cance. Thank you so much and | look forward to hearing from you again! Regards, Anne Lytle (1 am pleased to say we managed to purchase and send an OC6 to Hong Kong)Ka'nu Culture - Incoming From: NYOUTRIG@acl.com Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 14:52:49 -0400 rn To: kanu@ozemail.com.au New York Hewett] tl cc: NYOUTRIG@aol.com Subject: OUTRIGGING IN NEW YORK CITY Hi Steve I first want to say your book Is “Biblical” to the outrigger community, particularly in such outrigger desolate areas as New York City (but where this desolation is now changing). The first Hawaiian outrigger canoe to hit the shores of NYC is now at the 79th Street Boat Basin on the Westside, nine blocks from my apartment. With the (surprisingly enthusiastic) support of New York City Parks & Recreation, the Hawaiian Class Racer was hauled in on 10 May 1996. This marks the first year the East coast has enjoyed formal six person outrigger races. Virginia has a regatta as well as a Massachusetts. In 1997, races will be popping up in New York, New Jersey and Florida, as more athletes and supporters get involved. Presently there are eight canoes | know of on the East coast. Teams vary from top national and olympic paddlers, to strong club teams, to total novices. For those who love outrigger canoe paddling, it is a very exciting time as the sport explodes onto the East coast. Even with all the newness of outrigger paddling, much of the ‘sense of unity and tradition remains connected to the sport. Outrigger canoe paddling in the East, | feel, is not a trend but a beginning of something more permanent in our lives. As the captain of New York Outrigger, | have trained and organised a team of nationally ranked paddlers. We have garnished trophies in every race competed in on the East coast. Better yet, with the cance in the heart of New York City, we are able to draw from a ten million population to cultivate a grassroots team of top local athletes, a team that will grow, train hard together and have strength, heart and commitment. New York Outrigger has a women's team captained by Linda Santos a former coach from Guam. So here it is in its infancy. Every link to technique, strategy and philosophy of outrigger paddling is vital to us. The season comes to a close around the beginning of December. For three months thereafter, it is cross training and Concept 2 time trials. | will be busy also at that time with finding sponsors. | would be happy to share my sponsor proposals with others as well as lea how others have handled sponsorship, a possible topic for Volume 3? 1am truly happy to be a part of the family of outrigger cance paddlers! Thank you for Ka’nu Culture, it Is indispensable. Aloha Roger MeyerRa'nu C ultare - Off-Shore California Women OffShore California Women’s Crew Interview with JoJo Toeppner, Mindy Clarke, Sheila Conover BY STEVE WEST PHOTOS SUE NEIL AND DAPHNE HOUGHARD mbracing the very best in attitude towards the sport, whilst at the same time possessing commitment and a love of the ocean, the OffShore California Open Women’s team utilises their skills together with a dedication to be the very best they cant be. In short they represent all that can be achieved in canoe paddling. At the 1996 Banko Na Wahine O Ke Kai Moloka’i Channel race, Offshore California women’s crew won ~ for the tenth time. In terms of world ranking, no other women’s team comes close to having dominated outrigger canoe racing in the same fashion. In this sense the OffShore California Open Women's crew has created a status which is legendary in proportions. The record books document unrivalled successes in not only the Moloka’i races but in all other major international events to which they have cared to commit their minds and bodies, I met the crew for this interview, on Hamilton Island after their record breaking 1996 victory with only nine paddlers instead of the permitted ten. The most striking quality which grew clearer as the interview progressed, is that despite strong individuality, the group's ‘focus on canoe paddling and their full commitment to each other as team mates is what sets them apart. What is more, the prevailing attitude is one of pure enjoyment. Their training, to some degree, goes against the grain of what outrigger canoe paddling is fundamentally based on — time in the canoe together - as they tend only to come together on race days. There is complete faith in one another's commitment to training and to the sport. There is undeniable athleticism, technical skill and ability. There is love for the sport and each other. All this coming with the absence of destructive ego. These are the elements which combine to make this crew an awesome force. 1Ka'nu Culture - OffShore California TOomen ATCT enn Ce CONTA ULC ELL Meo a I want to get your impressions of why women have been attracted to outrigger canoe paddling in such large numbers? Jojo: In Australia it seems to have taken off in a big way, whereas in California the growth seems to have levelled off. In Australia five years ago, there were a few women’s teams but now there are probably ten times that and the number of women in each club is way more. Before, each club had one team of women. It is great to see the sport expanding and in talking to them the excitement just rubs off on you. Outrigging is a sport which is a great community gatherer. You build friendships all over the world while learning a lot about different people. Are there as many female participants as there are male in California? Mindy: At a regatta there might be five or six canoes left on the beach for a women’s race and none for the men. We have about thirty-five to forty women’s crews right now and about forty to forty-eight men’s crews - it is pretty close. During the ironman season, the girls’ participation drops off a little. Does this mean there aren't so many women doing the distance races? Mindy: Not so many but then again the Moloka’i event has grown bigger and bigger as far as women’s participation goes, which amazes me. It was climbing, then it took a dive for a while and now women’s numbers are climbing all the time. JoJo, you've paddled one more Moloka’i than Mindy? Mindy wasn’t with me for the first crossing in 1979 because she was in Australia. To what extent do you think that the founding of the Na Wahine O Ke Kai (the women's Moloka‘i) kick-started womens participation in the sport? Jojo: A lot. In fact the original women who did the crossing had to sneak in to the finish behind the men. They are the ones who run the race now. You have to have so much respect for what they achieved. It doesn’t matter if you come first, if you can just get your canoe from Moloka’i to Oahu that is a feat in itself. The number of 2Ka'nu Culture - Off Shore California Women Guan people who could actually achieve this is so small, that it makes the crossing an achievement in itself and if you have good showings in terms of competitors, you are just that much more excited about the race. Sheita: | was part of that ‘79 crew and I was only sixteen at the time. Outrigger Canoe Club was first and we were second, and I think that what seemed to happen was that for the Hawaiians, canoe racing had been about culture and tradition but then here was this California team, year after year coming over and finishing first, second or third. Now that we have had this long streak of good results, people have started to say, “Hey these paddlers are coming over and winning in our backyard!” Offshore Canoe Club and Outrigger Canoe Club Hawaii, have played a huge part in raising the level of competition in women’s outrigger canoe paddling. Over time people saw us, trained athletes, coming over, jumping in a canoe and winning. Paddlers began thinking, we had better start putting out our cigarettes and quitting the junk food. It is no longer good enough to paddle just for the sake of culture and tradition. Now we should train and practice hard. As a result the level of women’s paddling skills has jumped out of sight. Jojo: 1 would say our first team would be middle of the pack today which indicates how the level of skill and fitness has improved in the sport. OffShore has had to get better with each year to stay where we are. Mindy: To stay on top, we have to evolve our training, our technique and so on. Sheila: At the moment in Hawaii there is a huge resurgence of going back to their roots and the culture; teaching Hawaiian in schools and the old way. I think that an awareness of other facets such as health and fitness and competitiveness has helped 3Ka'nu Culture - Off Shore California Women increase the numbers as Mindy was saying. Now we have all these women thinking, “1 want to cross that channel too!” It seems to be very much the perception of OffShore - that it is comprised of a “dial-a-crew” made up of Olympic kayak paddlers. Was the first OffShore crew made up of kayak paddlers? Jojo: Not the first year. What happened was that as the crew evolved ] was the only kayak paddler (although 1 was mainly a gymnast). Then Billy Whitford started encouraging paddlers to back-up their training with kayak paddling and asked if 1 would help coach Sheila. I had so much fun doing it that I thought I might as well do it again. A lot of our team has gotten into kayaking through starting with outrigging. So kayaking is our back-up sport. You can paddle on your own and it is sports specific. That is how we have evolved so we find it funny when people say, “Oh, they're just a bunch of kayakers.” We know the truth, we are outrigger paddlers first. Sheila: They call us “ringers ", but the truth is we started out as outrigger paddlers. You would consider yourselves outrigger paddlers first and foremost? Mindy: Yes and we always have been, Sheila: One of our girls was a rower and then she paddled outriggers for many years and now she just made the Olympic kayak team. So when people meet her in the future they are going to say, “Another Olympic kayaker”. But she was paddling outrigger canoes years before she paddled kayaks. I suppose now you could say that kayaking is her bigger sport being in the Olympic team. She would be on this trip if she hadn’t made it. So what we are seeing now, as a result of outrigger racing expanding, is a greater cross-flow between paddle sports, especially kayaks. Maybe that simply is because kayak paddling is an Olympic sport which attracts top outrigger paddlers? Jojo: Yeah, each Olympic year some of us jump into a kayak and try out. Mindy: | think the thing is, most of us started with outrigger paddling and then went into kayak paddling. Along the way we have met kayak paddlers who then wanted to try outrigger paddling as it’s more of a team sport. From your perspective, how is team selection achieved with particular reference to Moloka’i? Mindy: Every year is different in terms of how we select crews. Depending on who is available. Right now we find it better not to do team trials but just select a team. It is simpler and we avoid opening a can of worms caused by having people in competition with each other. Sheila: Mindy looks at attitude. How well are you going to match with the core. Mindy: There is a core which tends to remain the same, generally made up of all the girls from the year before, less the few who can’t make it. Others come in and out 4Ka'nu Culture - Off Shore @. alifornia TOomen OTN eet SCV ce na A ~ - z Sr Beste every year. Sheila was in for a couple of years then went out kayaking for a couple of years. So you look around to see who is available to paddle with the core. We don’t do single outriggers over and over trying to find the strongest paddlers because we are looking for girls to mesh with. A few years ago Sharon and Vicki were just starting out in firefighting and couldn’t make the Moloka‘i team, so we picked up Julie. Some years we don’t have as many core paddlers. This year for example, it will be hard, as it will be right after the Olympics, lots of our paddlers will be trained up and ready to paddle back in the outriggers. Instead of having eight paddlers and looking for two, we are going to have fourteen who could all sit in the number one canoe. Sheila: Also | remember after one of our workouts, drinking coffee and eating muffins, we all decided that it was getting tough for everyone to come down and make every single outrigger workout on top of our individual training schedules. So we agreed that each do their own thing. We trust that each one of us is training and having that faith in each other allows us to get together and just go. That is what has 5Ka'nu Culture - OffShore California Women happened ever since. Mindy: That is our key and it works for us, but I don’t think that it would work for most others, as we have the experience plus the excitement of new people. That seems to be the key to the whole structure of OffShore. We have evolved so much. Back in ‘86 we were doing two workouts a day, one seven to eleven am and one four to six pm and everybody made practice. Now we have gone our own ways. We realise that to get great athletes we have to throw it open and say, “You come down when you can make it, we're not going to put a time restriction on you.” We understand that outrigger paddling means a big time commitment and to get six or twelve people together at one time is not easy. We do have times when the club works out, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and whoever makes that, makes it. Jojo: What we do at the beginning of the season is to decide which of the races we 4 can all turn up to. Sheila: We also mix up first, second, third crew paddlers in different canoes and it’s not until race day that we all get together. In a way race days become our practice days to see how we are going! It seems that there are always certain common threads, JoJo has always been there, Mindy steering and Billy Whitford as coach. How important is it to you JoJo that Mindy has always been a part of the core? Jojo: If Mindy was not at the back it would be a hard thing. Billy is our Dumbo's Feather, he makes the magic and we go. We have total faith in him. He can do the weirdest off-the-wall things - like leave you in for hours - because he has the unique ability to read athletes. That is where our faith rests with him. It is not a question of pulling paddlers out just because their time is up? Mindy: Yeah and that is important. I know they are doing their job and they know I am doing my job so we can focus on the task at hand. I don’t have to worry about anything except steering while Billy takes care of the rest. The level of trust in cach other is very high. We are not distracted thinking about whether the others are 6Ka'nu Culture -~ Off-Shore California Women working hard enough or whatever. We all know that we will work hard to pull one another out and we all trust Billy to make sure that we have the right combinations. Jojo: It is amazing we can be out paddling through major traffic and unless Mindy says to look, ] won't be looking up at all ~ just staring at the manu. If you can keep your head in the canoe, nine tenths of the battle is won, Of course we see the same trend with the top men's crews ~ steerers who remain the same year in year out, like Tommy Connors with Outrigger for many years, until recently. Sheila: One thing | have spoken about in the past, in regard to how to select a women’s team, was not to rank them. If we ranked our team it would be detrimental. Going out and doing solo canoe time trials, run time trials, pull up contests every Monday or whenever, might destroy the uniqueness and respect that we have for each other. That is what | have told people about our team. We don’t rank ourselves. Men maybe need ranking because of the nature of their egos. (A guy thing? Ed.) Giving each women a responsibility and making each equally important encourages respect for each other. We can sit in any seat. Every person on our team can steer, can sit at stroke or four. We know our responsibilities if the canoe flips. And of course we have practised a lot. | really think it is important for women, because of their nature, not to rank them as best, second best and so on. So if you're ranked fifth paddler in a canoe, you don't feel comfortable? Mindy: Everyone knows that you could be pushed out at any time, which probably doesn’t help either. And the paddler ranked number one in the canoe may get a little nonchalant? Sheila: It creates problems. In our club, because Mindy makes the final selection, it is done on the basis of attitude. A stronger paddler may not get selected because she 7Ka'nu Culture - OffShore California Women does not mesh with the rest of the team. We take the weaker paddler who has potential and a great attitude over the paddler who is quicker but whose attitude is a problem. Mindy: If we had someone we didn’t get along with, would we have any fun? We do this for fun. We want to win sure, but we also have stressful jobs and we have to do this for fun. It must be convenient, not too difficult and not unpleasant. Otherwise we may as well be doing something else. It seems it only takes one person to spoil a whole road trip away. I have seen it happen on support boats where maybe the changeovers aren't going to plan because the coach has decided to alter things and then this one paddler just gets really down and starts to pull everyone else down too. Jofo: We have been in workouts where we have this one girl who has a temper every now and then. If you put her in the fastest boat and she is in a temper, the boat will just not go. Everyone feels tentative. Getting back to women being attracted to outrigger canoe racing, perhaps we could talk some more about this. Sheila: 1f we could talk about women in sport in general I think we can understand better why we have so many women now attracted to outrigger paddling. Women are really breaking new grounds, going faster, further, higher. Like Janet Evans in 1988 beat Mark Spitz’s record for example. With women in sport just getting faster and better there is increased awareness of women’s participation. In the past, sports commentary was always about how graceful or petite a woman was, now the commentary runs along the lines of women’s athleticism or strength which portrays us ina very different light. Jojo: There are now more female commentators. That is really important because only females have empathy as to what it is like to be a top woman athlete. These women are also better at understanding what it takes to perform at a high level - you don’t limit yourself to being concerned about a broken fingernail for example. You have to set new goals. We are only just scratching the surface. We don’t know how far we can go yet. In parts of the world where a strong beach culture exists, females have generally been seen to sit on the beach whilst the guys did their thing, whether it was surfing, windsurfing or whatever. Outrigger paddling is providing a fantastic opportunity for women to be involved in an open ocean sport. Jojo: 1 remember our first year in Australia. We brought the canoes with us by cutting them in thirds to get them in the plane, then the guys put them together. We {Newport Beach, California) raced against Newport Beach, Australia. They used every angle to promote it - men against women; they were in surf boats and we were in an outrigger canoe.Ka'nu Culture ~ Off6Shore California TOomen When we were practising and getting our bronze medallions in order to compete against the men, we asked if the guys would let us out in the surf boats. There had never been women in the boats, and they had only just begun to allow women in surf clubs six months before. The girls on the beach told us that we could not ask to do that! But we couldn't see why not, after all they were going to get in our canoe! So that was our mind set right from the start. Since then things here have developed out of sight. There is a fair share of women sports stars involved with outriggers in Australia, a country which has relied on sport to make its mark on the rest of the world. For example, Lisa Curry-Kenny has done a lot to encourage women to take up outrigger canoe racing in Oz. Has this been the case with individuals in America? Jojo: Outrigging is such a small obscure sport within America given the country’s size and population. You can do well and your neighbour won't even know you! Sheila: Lisa is a houschold name in Australia because of her achievements in swimming. It does seem that Australian athletes are promoted as role models and ambassadors - and put on the back of cereal packets! Whilst in the States it is the all male, major league sports stars (baseball, basketball and football) who are treated that way. To be recognised as a women athlete in USA you might do it as a gymnast or figure skater. Jojo: All short term sports. Mindy: Janct Evans is a good example of a women athlete who got recognition, but she would never come and paddle because the sport is too small. Whilst in Australia having the ironmen Peace n tae . . participating in outrigger canoe TRE 7 racing lifts the profile of the sport. PRR aan an: In America most people wouldn't eee am ges : ffaatetrererges even know what an ironman was.Ree Beer .. The Best Thing Since Bottled 1 (-7.Rea0 KMydration S ty The Go-Bee Hydration System Available via Mail Order $135 + $5 freight PhiFax 07 5479 1327 email - kanu@ozemail.com.au OWLIWE ORDERS hitp://www.ozemail.com.aul~kanu PO Box 506 Maroochydore Australia Q4558DAPHNE HOUGHARD om ut on Pan “nn Hl i an Mis sae Poi cree ant Eset RA ob Wasa a a ‘i Gah eee ny aie MoM ML aN PL P si bit Dai Iie MataKa'nu Culture - OffShore California Women Top American ironmen are more popular in Australia than they are in their own country! So you must get a buzz when you travel to Hawaii, where you're well known... from obscurity to the bright lights? Jojo: It’s fun! Everyone knows us. When we go home people ask “What do you do?” Mindy: “Outrigger canoeing? What's that? You row?” Have you done any exhibition paddling? Jojo: In Montreal, Canada at the Kayak Worlds but that’s all. What about junior paddling, do you find there are many girls taking part? Jojo: Billy Whitford started the Aquatic Centre in Newport Beach and we all helped him with that. It is how we have got young girls outrigger paddling. When they paddle their kayaks in the mornings we talk with them and Mindy helps coach them with Sheila and Sharon. They have come across to outrigger paddling from there. So we have a good junior team. It is a kick to see them paddling. Your training conditions in California are in relatively calm waters, yet your Moloka’i results prove that you have the ability to handle rough, large seas. What is the secret? Jojo: We go to Moloka’i to get the big water. When Billy was living in California, he did what he could to simulate rough water by loading down the motor boat and flying past us so as the water hit the ama. If there is ever a swell inside the jetties we always go and ride them. It has been hard, but with the team having been together for so long, we have become used to the Moloka'i conditions and we have hit it on and off a few times. Now I think it has ended up being our forte - catching and 10Ka'na Culture - OffShore California Women tiding waves ~ which does seem weird as we come from a flat water area. Mindy: We scratch around to find anything to ride at home. When we get to Moloka’i there is so much to ride and it is like “Wow this is easy!” I don’t think that living where we do, we are at any disadvantage. I have steered that race as much as any other girl has and it is not as if crews actually paddle across the channel for practice. The majority probably paddle away from big waves. I think I have probably paddled it more than most other girls and I have certainly done it in all conditions. Do you feel that other crews hope for rough water in the hope that OffShore may bomb out because of it? Jojo: Well maybe they do but we know that we would not bomb out. Sheila: One year it was a glass-off. Outrigger went down to the ocean, they threw rocks in, beat it around and cursed it because they wanted big seas. We did get big seas. And we still beat them! Mindy: It has so much to do with experience on the water. The first seven years we did not win a race. As each year passed we chalked it down - gathered experience - “We can’t do this because this is what happens”. We had to fine tune our racing in order that we would win, whether it was changeovers, technique, equipment or whatever, we learned what it takes to win. Having won, we know how to keep going back and winning. Jojo: It is definitely a case of those who make the least mistakes overall will tend to finish better. And we all make mistakes out there. We have had luck with some things we have pulled off. I remember one time Billy had his hands over his eyes asKa'nu Cutture - Off Shore California Women water and I ended up on the wrong side. The two others were getting in and I knew if ] was fast enough I wouldn’t flip it by being on the wrong side. In the meantime number five got flipped up in the air and by chance landed in her seat too. When Billy looked to see us all in our seats, he did not know how we did it. We didn’t get to find out how until after the race. We definitely have had some luck! You also create your own luck. If you weren't strong enough, fit enough, fast enough, experienced enough, some “luck” would never happen! Do you have a best and a worst Moloka’i? JoJo: Well the worst is easy. That is when we flipped the ama under and lost ten feet of the canoe. It took fourteen hours to tow us in. That was in 1982, paddling a Koa canoe. Mindy and I were just getting out and climbing the steps of the support boat when we saw this huge thing come out of the water. I thought it was whale, but what we were actually seeing was the canoe up in the air. A rogue wave, sucked them up and spat them out! Mindy: The only thing we didn’t know, being inexperienced, was that Koa canoes don’t have flotation tanks. Jojo: You need to get the water out and re-float it with scuba tanks. When did the front ten feet break away? Mindy: Not right away. When they decided to lift the front up onto the escort boat to get the water out, a wave smacked it and just broke the front end off and it was over, It was a sickening feeling. How far into the race were you? Sheila: About three hours - and we were ahead. Jojo: The saddest part for Mindy and me in the runner boat, was circling around picking up all the little bits of Koa. It was sad. Mindy: The runner boat took us back and the big boat towed the canoe. We didn’t get in until after dark. It was a shame as that would have been the first year we would have won. Sheila: What is your favourite one? Jojo: It is hard to pick a favourite one. The last one is always the freshest in your mind. In ‘95 we broke the record and had everything going for us - current and seas. It was just a ripper with swells to ride the whole way. Not big, just jump on and go swells, so we would get fifteen or twenty feet of free ride every time. That was definitely a lot of fun. I just love it when the water is big - even huge. You arc out in the middle of the channel and there are no rocks to bang your head, Some of the races I’ve been in you are underwater and you can still move your paddle! You just have to flare it and away you go. The girls can’t believe that when you come back up from under, you are still in time. The more exciting races have been when the water is big, when you are way up high and having to lean out over RKa'na Cuteare - OffShore California Women the gunwales to grab any water, then the next time you are submarined. There are different flavours to each race. Sheila: Do you remember when we paddled through that schoo! of dolphins! Jojo: Oh yeah! On the Governors wall in Hawaii there is this picture of us paddling with dolphins jumping right off our bow! Sheila: It was awesome! Jojo: Everyone's heart rate shot up. Billy came up alongside and asked me what 1 was doing. “Dolphins Billy, dolphins!” I screamed out. He shouted that it was a ninety-three and I would have to bring it down. It was so funny. No one had realised because we were just so stoked with the dolphins. To get focussed after that was a major feat, Sheila: That was the first year we won. Jojo: A photographer got in the water and took the photo which then became a painting hanging in the Governor's office. It couldn’t have been staged better. In the photo, there’s the canoe, two dolphins jumping and me. In the background, there is a valley and a bird. You would not believe it! Sheila: We live a charmed life. We often ask each other if there is anything else better we could be doing. Many paddlers would find it hard to understand the number of times OffShore has now won Moloka’i. In particular individual paddlers like JoJo and Mindy. Mindy: | don’t think they realise how difficult it is to come back year after year to defend your title. The few times that we have lost, it has been a big deal. Billy said after last year's Moloka’i that you could not and would not go on winning - and of course time and the law of averages will take care of that. Jojo: Billy says that usually you cannot keep the ability to stay on top indefinitely and I guess time, as you say, will take care of that. Mindy: One thing we never do is go into a race thinking we are going to win. Never! JoJo: The Outrigger guys laugh at us about the way we talk. They say it sounds like we are always fifth, sixth or tenth! Is that the way Billy has taught you to think? Mindy: Never to think it is a done deal. Anything may and can happen with nature, even though it has paid off for us over most of the years. JoJo: We had one race in our sixth year when we were about half way across and saying to ourselves “We're gonna do it! We're gonna do it!” Mother nature decided differently and one huge wave flipped us, ama under. That's when the nose broke off and we floated around watching the rest of the canoes go by. Sheila: One really good thing about our club, is that we believe whether we win, lose or draw, we are gonna race hard and we are gonna have fun. If we win, that is great. If we don’t, that’s OK.Ka'nu Culture - OffShore California Women Jojo: In this way, we make sure it is always a good race. It sounds to me like a positive and encouraging attitude. Mindy: We always think that we are going to be behind at the start. We do not expect to be in the lead right away so we don’t panic and just do our best. Jojo: We are behind at the start quite often. It seems we take a while to warm up! You know I would say that the main strength existing in our canoe is the faith that we have in each other - you just know that we are all pulling our guts out. You focus on pulling just a little harder than anyone else! JoJo you sit at stroke for most of the time? Jojo: Because I am the tallest - 5’4” - ha, ha! Mindy: In this crew each one thinks that the others are better than they are. There is not one person who thinks that they are the best paddler. This comes from having so much respect for each other — knowing and believing that the other paddlers are such good athletes. Egos can pull a crew apart. Jojo: Mindy and | usually go to the men’s Moloka’i and it is interesting to sce the difference in Aloha between the women and the men. Before the women’s race, after the prayers, we walk around to hug others and wish them a safe crossing. There is a genuine concern for others. The men are giving each other stink eye and would say nothing to another crew unless it was rude, It is neat to see the difference. | am sure glad I paddle with the women! Perhaps it brings out the warrior in men? Jojo: Yeah, they figure they are gonna attack. For us, it is “Have a safe crossing and we will see if we can go all out to get there before you.” Sheita Conover digging deepKa'nu Culeare - Off-Shore California TOomen Being women the mind set is softer and more compassionate... Mindy: We can be that outside of the canoe on land, but not in the canoe! You are putting yourself in this situation whereby, to a greater or lesser extent, you must experience denial of some female qualities in order to deal with the challenge to overcome it? JoJo: To see us on the beach before a race compared with in the canoe on the start line ~ phew, completely different! Sheila: You mentioned the warrior in men, well I don’t think women are given enough credit for the warrior in them. We can be soft and compassionate and also strong and powerful. Mindy: The 1996 Hamilton Cup has been amazing for us as it is the first time we have raced with men. It was great! We were ahead of guys and we were racing with the men’s crews all the time, jostling with some for the whole race. They would come up on us and we would pull up on them. Some of the stuff they were saying to us was just terrible! Ordinarily we might be with one or two canoes only, but in this event, there were canoes everywhere. We amazed ourselves by passing men’s teams coming around Pentecost. Sheila: It was huge! It really kept everyone honest. How many guys thought they were going to be beaten by a girls crew? Everyone in our crew has said, “Are we gonna train hard for next year. We are gonna race those guys and beat them!” You have gained the respect of many of those men that you beat. Some came in saying, “Have we got some work to do!” JoJo: We just don’t give up! Mindy: We came into the finish at the Coke bottle with two men’s crews, one on either side, going all out ~ and we beat them. They were going full throttle and we were going full throttle. And we beat them! It was the most exhilarating experience. Jojo: They just did not think that we would stick at it and finish hard like that. Sheila: Because we are women does not mean that we are happy to finish as the first women over the line. No way! We wanted to beat those guys and we did. Jojo: Billy always laughs because it takes us about an hour, or an hour and a half, just to warm up. So by the time we were coming up to Pentecost the canoe began to get up and move. A little late huh? After that it didn’t matter who was in the canoe, it just came screaming back to Hamilton Island and the finish. That leg was the fastest that we had gone in the whole race. Sheila: We kept thinking, “This race should be longer”. It went so fast. | only made two changes. From before we rounded Dent Island to the open stretch to Pentecost, then in again at Pentecost to Plumb Pudding Island. We asked Sue in the support boat if we were half way when we were nearly finished! The Hamilton Cup could be a regular event for you then? The prize money should 15Ka'nu Cuteure - Off-Shore California Women help make it an easier choice? Jojo: We would love to. We also sell sweat shirts and t-shirts to raise money. Mindy: The prize money is a big incentive. To come and win pays for our tickets in combination with the sweat shirt and t-shirt sales. We covered about $400 for each person and our cost each to get here was around $795, so with the A$6000 prize money, we are fully covered. Sheila: We are so excited to be in Australia. Everyday I have heard Julie say, “Wow we're in Australia! Can you belicve it?” Can we expect a long winning streak from OffShore girls at Hamilton Island? Jojo: They have done tests on men which show that once they win they produce more testosterone which in turn helps to keep the winning streak happening. We are definitely going to get in better shape for next year. People were saying that we were hot - wait till we are in better shape! Sheila: That is exactly what I was thinking. I am gonna increase my mileage, do this, do that, to get in shape for Moloka’i. | also want to get a really good picture of the Hamilton Island race to stick on the wall and when I look at it, I will be thinking, “One more run before I go to bed!” There are obviously many other strong women's crews around the Pacific. Which ones do you have the most respect for? Jojo: First off, you have to respect any women’s crew out there. We have most respect for the ones we are going to have the battles with, Panamuna in Australia, Outrigger, Kailua, Hui Nalu, Healani in Hawaii and on mainland USA, Lanikila and Dana Point. There is a ton of talent out there. | think it is just like football and basketball teams who might all be excellent athletes, it just depends on whether they have their act together. Sheila: In Hawaii, | would say I have a lot of respect for the humdrum teams who don’t have club houses on the beach and a cast of thousands helping them out. A team like Kailua, who have been coming on really strong over recent years, they have been second and third doing really well. This wonderful group of women who train in solo canoes. I have a lot of respect for them as they are basically a backyard operation. Jojo: At the start of the season we go and work on the canoes. We have a warehouse and Bud (Hohl) organises the fixing up of the canoes. It takes a lot of effort but it is a goad feeling to know everyone is putting a lot of time and energy in. You could not do it without everyone's help. Sheila: We all learn to rig the canoes also. Billy showed us. The women race first and the men don’t care about our rigging, we have to rig our own canoes. In many other clubs the men do a lot for the women but not in our club. Jojo: We arrive at the race venue first and the men arrive later. So we take the canoes 16Ka'nu Culture - OShore California TOomen off the trailers and rig them up. Billy taught us how to rig in a very funny way. He said that if we wanted to do this sport we would have to learn how to rig the canoes. We were just talking to each other and thinking “Yeah, sure.” He told us to watch closely and started rigging up while we kept on talking and laughing together. Later on, paddling around an island in our bay, we stopped to get water. When we came to paddle home, the canoes were unrigged and Billy was going off in a motor boat saying “I told you to watch!” We were all thinking “Oh my gosh! Did anyone pay any attention?” Sheila: If you wanna get home you have got to rig the canoe. He gave us one hint: “Do not get the line in the sand!” There we were, trying to figure it out. Which way does this go over? Or is it under or across? We did get it all together finally. It wasn’t pretty but it got us home. After that day, we learned about rigging. With the club’s reputation for strong women’s crews, how is it that you don't have strong men’s crews? Jojo: There used to be. They have come and gone over the years. A few of the other clubs in the area have strong men’s crews so the guys tend to swap over to them. Any of the guys we have had that were good are with other clubs now. Mindy: We put a lot of emphasis on the women’s crew. We do have novices or first year paddlers. So we really concentrate on the women and the women concentrate on the women. We know we have to take care of ourselves if we want to do well. Sheila: OffShore male paddlers are not year round athletes. They tend to be seasonal. Sure they are athletic and they enjoy their paddling, but not full time like we do. You know we might get a few, maybe three, who want to go hard and train all year but then they end up in a canoe with three others who wanna drink beer and really just be social paddlers. So the good paddlers end up going to the more committed clubs that train all year round. Mindy: The thing is we have found a recipe that works for us - for this team of women - maybe it wouldn’t work for others. We have evolved around what suits us, in terms of our workouts and how we come together as a team. Sheila: This has been since 1979. My very first canoe race was with JoJo and we were not even in the first canoe. There would always be lots of girls coming down and I was new to the club. There would be six or nine paddlers and we would be with a put-together team. We would be driven down the coast, dropped off at the beach then have to swim through the kelp beds. 1 remember swimming out to a fishing boat once and asking, “Excuse me, can you take us out there so we can get in that canoe?” because one crew had paddled to the turn buoy, jumped out and swam back, leaving us to swim out so we could paddle home. Mindy you have paddled every women’s Moloka’i except the first one? That was 1979 and we have won nine times - six in a row - then we lost one and we 7Ka'nu Culture - Off Shore California TOomen have won the last three. (Now four, making it ten times in all.) Over the years who have been some of your best influences? JoJo: Billy Whitford of course, Bud Hohl, Sandy Kahanamoku and John Raider. We used to have what I called the “Black Triangle,"- made up of Bud, Billy and John Raider. Bud took care of the equipment, Raider raised all the money we needed and Billy trained us. Once they sucked you in, you couldn't leave! Mindy: There are many people who have supported us over the years. Kala Kukea, Walter Guild, Dale Hope in Hawaii. Dale was on the escort boat often, when we won the first couple of years, helping us with the course. Kala did also - he used to meet us at the end of the race on his surf ski and paddle back in with us. Do you ever paddle at the Liliuokalani Race? Jojo: A long time ago, but it is so close to Moloka’i and it is expensive to do both. Mindy: We also have Catalina the weekend after Liliuokalani and then two weeks later Moloka’i. It depends how serious we wanna be about Moloka’i. It is a real fun race and so rich in culture. Mindy: | have done the Kona race three times now, but I prefer the Hamilton Cup. How does Hamilton Cup compare with Moloka’i? Mindy: Hamilton is better. Moloka’i is prestigious, you definitely go there on a mission. You wanna do well and it is a hard core race. At the end of the race there is nothing in the way of festivities. We pull the canoes up on the beach followed by a lot of chit chat. Then everyone eats, crashes and leaves. There is no atmosphere, no function, no festivity. It is the last race of the year - and a big race too - and as a paddler, you really want something to happen. Hamilton Cup is colourful with plenty of festivities and things to do. You get to meet other paddlers. I don’t know about anyone else, but | have won enough races that I don’t do it to win anymore. | do it for the experience and to have fun with friends. I do not need to come over and win another race. Being in Australia and a part of all this hoopla is the best part, something to remember for a long time. Offshore California Hamilton Cup 1996 Crew: Sheila Conover. Cathy Whitford. Gina Aubrey. JoJo Toeppner, Sharon Attelsey, Julie Wolfe, Vicki Mills. Rebecca Rusch. Mindy Clarke. 18Ka'nu Culture - Zngland “What Ho! Hut Hoe! ” BY STEVE WEST, SNZY HORNBY PHOTOS STEVE WEST, SUZY HORNBY ‘ i } it TOF cime ancl probably react with a broad grin and say “You are kidding!” “Really!” or “Get outta here!” But it is true. A small number of enthusiasts (about ten or fifteen) have been involved with outrigger paddling for almost ten years. Admittedly, there are colder and stranger places where the sport is taking off - Canada and parts of the USA are definitely colder (they have to be crazier) and Texas is even stranger. When you think of it then, why not England? So how did outrigger canoe paddling come to be in England? Well it came about as a result of colonial ties with Hawaii, Captain Cook, that man ‘Toots’ Minvielle and the Honolulu Advertiser. Back in 1978, the bicentennial anniversary of Captain Cook’s arrival in the Hawaiian Islands, ‘Toots’ Minvielle had the idea of sending a team of paddlers from Hawaii to Britain to paddle across the English Channel as 9Ka'nu Culture - England messengers of the spirit of Aloha. Well publicised by the Honolulu Advertiser and with USD 6000 raised by public donations, ‘Toots’ and seven others made the trip to England. They did what they set out to do, crossing the English Channel Inthe heart of London: <2, (twenty-six miles) in four hours and Canoe Club has a dedi. eleven minutes which created a great outrigger cance padd! amount of publicity. during the annual Great River Race The steerer for that historic crossing 1991, oneroeching etre mit wee made contact with Ka’nu Culture via email: “‘l read with interest and many pleasant memories your reporting on the Hawaiian paddlers who crossed from Calais, France to Dover, England and gifted their Malia cance to the Captain Cook Museum. J was the steerer for the group. Our canoe was named the Wa’alele (Leaping or Dancing | Canoe). | am sure the name has not been changed. It was a great adventure. We could not have had better team mates. it had been our hope that our efforts would 3 promote Va'a paddling in Europe and that we might find canoe friends as we promote our sport to the IOC, the goal being recognition as an Olympic event. To this end the Wa’alele has done herself proud. | now live in Maui, Aloha Mery! Lyons" hana@maui.net The Making of the First Outrigger Canoes in the United Kingdom BY SUZY HORNBY e first heard about the Moloka’i race from a television programme. Such was the effect that in 1987 five British paddlers competed in the men's Moloka’i race even though they had never seen an outrigger canoe before, let alone paddled one! Life was never to be the same again. Those paddlers came back fired with the enthusiasm which the sport in general, the event itself and the people involved help to generate, to do it again. 20Ka‘nu Culture - England They had been fortunate to meet the legendary ‘Toots’ Minvielle who told them they could ‘borrow’ the outrigger canoe which he had donated to the Captain Cook Museum in England after he crossed the English Channel. “You tell them | said you could use it.” were his authoritative words. “Well ! am not sure about that.” said a nice lady at the museum. “Til have to ask the directors.” They said “Yes.” When we collected the canoe it was sitting outside the museum looking sorry for itself. It was going to take some work to get a mould off this. And so it was that the next few months saw us travelling a hundred miles two evenings a week to the Gaybo canoe factory to make a canoe. First preparing the original to make the mould from it, then cleaning the original and finally making our canoe. The canoe ‘Toots’ had used was a Malia called Wa’atete (Leaping or Dancing Canoe) so we called our new canoe Ketxt Wa’avete or Child of Dancing Canoe. She was blessed and launched into the English Channel off Brighton Beach one cold spring day in 1988. We made it four hundred pounds (Moloka’i race weight) to help our practice (something we have often regretted) and in two halves so that it could be transported easily. Since then one other canoe has been made from the mould by Woodmill Canoe Club. 21Ka‘nu Culture - Sngland “Converted KI for converted Kayaks fulfil an important role in the development of outrigger canoe paddling technique. Below: Connective bulkheads used to join the tvo halves of the Malia together. ay : > solo training. Several which represents the potential extent of racing we can do in Britain. So. with a training canoe, our men's crew competed in the ‘88 and ‘89 Moloka’i, the latter as Masters and finishing about sixth. It was whilst supporting them on these trips that | made a promise that one day 1 would race in the women’s Moloka’i. In a September 1988 issue of Canoeist Magazine UK, John Griffith gives an amusing account of their trip. “Like all the best canoeing trips it all started in a bar in the depths of a British winter . . . more beer was ordered and within minutes details were finalised.” All they had to go on was that “. . . the race was forty miles long and was likely to take between six and seven hours. The waves could be twenty fect high and it was going to cost a lot of money.” The crew made the journey and paddled with two paddlers from California and two from Hawaii and 2Ka'nu Culture - England made the crossing in 6:56:00, collecting the prize for being the crew who had travelled the farthest distance. In summing up, John goes on to thank their sponsors, Barclaycard and Access. The Royal Canoe Club is definitely worth a visit, not just for excellent facilities, but for the wonderful hospitality | of which you are assured. If you are an ® outrigger canoe paddler, they want to meet you, suck your brains dry and talk ; story over several pints of wonderful warm ale while dreaming of far off places in the Pacific. That is a unique quality of the sport - it is so esoteric that you long to identify with others who understand your passion, when you live so far away from the action. Fconversian's’ My visit to the Royal Canoe Club was Mae pee made in August, when Britain often ioogaer canoes, Cnjoys its best weather. Located in Kensington, the Club occupies two pieces of land. Trowlock Island is a stone’s throw from the river bank and home to a small number of residents. The island is accessed by an interesting floating pontoon, winched across the narrow divide. Here the residents enjoy a unique lifestyle, being lovers of river life as many residents along the Thames, one of the world’s most 23Ka'nu Culture - England Trowlock Island. The original site of the Royal Canoe Club, the oldest canoe club in the world. famous rivers, have been for centuries. Occupying a sizeable slice of Trowlock Island is the original “Royal” clubhouse, . housing many snippets of memorabilia. Amongst the plaques and photographs is a letter of Royal Origin which formally permits the club to be known as “Royal” on account of having had royal membership and races at one time. Alongside the original clubhouse is a storage shed and racks of canoes and kayaks, but the club now has a spiffy new club house on the adjacent riverbank which has bar and dining facilities, showers and more paddle craft storage space on land recently purchased from British Petroleum. Dragon boat racing is a popular club activity and as it seems all over the world now, dragon boat paddlers are becoming interested in outrigger canoe paddling. This seems to have been the major base from which the “Royal's” outrigger enthusiasts have emanated. Two Malia canoes get regular use for training and from time to time for various other purpose. One is kept at the club, the other near Southampton on the south coast. The canoes are constructed in two sections in order that they can be more easily transported. They do fit, at a pinch, onto a car roof rack (size of car permitting) preferably two cars. Whilst I was there during this summer, a London- based restaurant called Blue Hawaii organised an outrigger competition using the two Malia canoes, involving eight other restaurants, also providing a barbeque and band. As long as it promotes the sport and the spirit of Aloha! In order to train at suitable times and to run time trials and technique sessions, So a z a d Now some of you will relate to this whilst others simply cannot . . . paddling fully clothed ~ hats, gloves and all. The invigorating brace of winter air. 24Ka‘nu Culture - ae ; Ing, ath TF Siry Hornby, husband J belig¥e that the sport has more potential amongst newcomers, (dragon boat paddlers excluded) than to those already participating in paddle sports. They also agreed that if the sport is to take off in Britain, it would start on the south coast, where the climate is temperate and where there is already an abundance of ocean sport activity. What is needed is the formation of at least two clubs with one canoe each in order to have inter-club racing thus providing a catalyst for more clubs, greater social activity and therefore more paddlers. Supply of canoes is a problem. Do they continue to make the Malia? Or does someone have to become motivated enough to acquire the mould of a more popular up-to-speed design? This would take money, faith and commitment in believing the sport would flourish. In this regard manufacture and promotion of solo outrigger canoes may be the place to start. Whilst in established outrigger canoe paddling areas the solo outrigger canoe has been popularised amongst six person canoes paddlers, the solo canoe as an introductory craft to new outrigger paddling areas would seem both practical and logical. Solo outrigger canoes are low cost and easily transported enabling the concept of outrigger canoe paddling, whether in Britain or any other part of the globe, to be more widely and rapidly promoted. 2BKa'na Culture - England e place on a regular basis between European pdpoint, would benefit the sport enormous! : Ezance and Tahitinisspla Edward Maamatua) to send a canoe or mould to assist development there. Italy is keen to get started in solo outriggers and expand the sport from this basis. Meanwhile, back to paddling on the Thames River, which is definitely unusual if you are used to the blue Pacific Ocean. The Thames has a stillness and calm about it, not to mention a sort of brown tinge, whilst along the river bank, mown lawns, willow trees, pubs, ancient buildings and bridges named after monarchs and war heroes, constantly remind you that this is England ~ the very heart of it. Would you believe it, there is a pub called the Outrigger just along the way from the Royal Canoe Club, but it is not frequented by the “Royal's” outrigger fraternity. A favourite pastime amongst some of the various pub's patrons, is to sit on the river wall whistling or humming the Hawaii Five O tune as the outrigger glides by, to shouts of “Book ‘im Danno.” As always, an outrigger canoe in a new location gets all the attention it deserves! Paddling is not limited to the river with trips to the south coast and the ocean being a favourite. One of their major challenges is paddling around the Isle of Wight home to the Admirals Cup held at Cowes. This, taking around twelve hours, (preferably spread over two days) has been used as training for Moloka’i. 26Ka'nu Culture - England poy pe 4 Ss The women's crew practising for the first time in the ocean off the south ct during the summer for their Bankoh Na Wahine 0 Ke Kai race, 1994. How the First British Crew Came to Paddle the Bankoh Na Wahini O Ke Kai BY SUZY HORNBY had originally thought to join up with a foreign crew, but | figured no crew would want a women from England with little experience in outrigger canoe paddling. My white water paddling friends were scattered all over the country so getting together a team was going to be impossible. The answer to my problem was on my doorstep at the Royal Canoe Club as we had a strong dragon boat team unbeaten as National Champions. | introduced the idea and a nucleus of enthusiasm manifested and was a done deal by the time a slide show of the men’s race was presented to them. And so began twenty months of preparation which saw our number diminish from seventeen to ten due to postings overseas, babies and injuries. But ten is what we needed to end up with so selection was a piece of cake! Training We first paddled together in the winter of February 1993 - it was cold and snow was falling. Gloves and woolly hats were standard gear. During that year we trained largely on the River Thames focussing mainly on technique. based on what our men's 7Ka'nu Culture - England crew had learned, and in racing Canadian canoes and watching videos. Over that winter we followed a strength training programme (improving our bust measurements no end) followed by a good summer season paddling on the river. In June 1994 we put to sea for the first time at Calshot in the Solent. With sea temperatures only 13°c we wore wetsuits and found the changeovers hard going, not made any easier by laughter and “Beached Whale” jokes. Despite all the chin-ups and gym work, we needed more. Our final race preparation was to compete in the Great River Race, a twenty- two mile traditional craft race on the Thames from Richmond through London to Greenwich. We wanted to win our division with the fastest time and we did in 2:33:00. The next day we were on our way to Hawaii. Hawaii We arrived six days before the race and based ourselves at Waikiki, so as we could paddle the last part of the race for practice and familiarise ourselves with landmarks, reefs and the surf line. 1 remembered how our men’s team had come close to capsizing in 1989 just before the finish as one of Waikiki’s famous rollers appeared. Their white water skills saved the day. Mike Tongg arranged for us to paddle in the mornings from Waikiki Surf Club. The first thing we had to get used to was the different canoe. a Hawaiian Class Racer which felt more tippy. 1994 Moloka’t crew outside the Royal Canoe Club's original club houseKa'nu Culture - England As it is for so many who make it to the Moloka’i race after dedicated training and preparation - cold training. controlled eating and drinking. endless phone calls and organisation. Juggling time with family and friends ~ feelings of a dream come true! As we began paddling down the Ali Wai Canal towards the Pacific Ocean and our first paddle on the famous Hawaiian waves, my heart stopped - the entrance was framed by classic surf rolling in either side of the channel markers. Surfers ripped and slashed in the early morning light. The enormity of it made me feel overcome with anxiety! Here we were about to launch ourselves into the Pacific Ocean. with no experience of large seas. Were we being reckless or simply rising to the challenge? It was the steerers who had the biggest challenge of nerve but we soon settled into it and it wasn't long before shouts of excitement rang out loud. We had arrived and we were loving it! Our first training session ended with feelings of exhilaration at having paddled on a heaving ocean, tempered by caution and the responsibility that | felt towards the whole group. Fortunately over the next few days the swell dropped. We organised changeover practices with our escort boat driver. It turned out he had never done the race - and he had a boat full of Moloka’i virgins on his hands! We managed to get together to practise and felt better after a few trial runs. Moloka‘i Moloka’i is a beautiful istand. Add to this the unique energy that descends on it for the race and you are left intoxicated forever. Leaving a day early, we boarded the plane with other crews, adding to our excitement which intensified on arrival. We had to get our canoe rigged, but by the time we arrived at Hale 0 Lono. Mike Tongg and Nappy Napolean had virtually completed the task for us. The following morning at 4.30am we assembled in the dark - some chatty. some reflective. As dawn broke over the harbour. we held hands for the traditional blessing. For a brief moment | allowed myself the tuxury of reflecting on the journey to this point. There had been personal sacrifices, hard work, shared experiences. personal problems and sorrows to bear over the twenty months or preparation. Ceremony over, we found and launched our canoe then set off for the start line. The start line was huge. Lined up ama to ama just right of centre, then suddenly we 2»Ka'nu Cultere - England were off. Our tactics were simple - go as hard as we could for as long as we could. | was amazed at how close we were to other canoes, it was impossible to avoid contact. Sue did a wonderful job steering and by the first change we were about half way in the field. Narrowly avoiding a collision and huli, we paddled out into the Kaiwi Channel past Lauu Point leaving Moloka’i behind us. Changes were scheduled every thirty minutes and Sue our steerer was to change every sixty or ninety minutes with myself or Linda. All three of us were apprehensive of the responsibility of steering. We had after all only ever steered on the Thames or on the chop of the Solent. The hardest part was steering into the waiting paddlers in the water during changeovers. The crew changeover list had been a nightmare to create as not all could paddle in alf seats. a mistake we will not repeat. Soon we could see Diamond Head which made an easy reference for steering. With increasing breeze, we increased the stroke rate and reached out Jong to gain speed. Changeovers were altered to twenty minutes, which took its toll over the next two hours. Our stroke. Hannah. did a one hour stint. When she climbed into the support boat asking to stay out for a double shift. the answer was a firm “no!” Seasickness was a problem and four of paddlers ended up this way despite having taken tablets. We had joked about sharks, but this turned out to be no joke as a message came over the radio that a pack of Hammerhead sharks were following not far behind. Just as well we didn't get to hear about this until arter the race. | had noticed how quickly we were being pulled from the water and how close the boat was when the paddlers Jumped in for the change. Had we known we would have paddled iron for the rest of It! The Oahu coastline loomed closer. The stretch from Koko Head to Diamond Head was to prove tricky. Up until now the wind had been pushing the canoe right. so most of the steering had been done on the left. Along this stretch we were running down large waves rae Fea = Above, the men’s crew. practising changeovers off Brighton in southern England and below. race day in Hawaii, a glass off - hot and still.Ka’nu Culture - England and being turned left. It was difficult to draw the canoe back on course because it meant poking on the right which lifted the ama. Towards the end of the race, we all began to feel that the experience was everything we had dreamed it would be. We were way down on the winners, but that was not important. We had done the race, survived and become the first British women crew to do it. Applause and cheers welcomed us along with Lei. hugs and kisses. This was the moment we had worked for. The rest of the crew joined us from the support boat and we savoured feelings of triumph. satisfaction. respect and love for each other's efforts. We knew our lives would never be the same. John Griffith and Suzy Hornby can be contacted at the following address: 2 Victoria Close, West Molesey, Surrey KT8 1SQ, England UK. Phone/Fax: 0181 941 2714 od The Royal Canoe Club Men's crew 1989, practising off Waikiki - Diamond Head behind and tower blocks of Waikiki lining the beach, 31am Ue Esa glia Ty BY TED RALSTON AND JO ANNE VAN TILBURG PHOTOS AS CREDITEDKa'nu Culture ~ Rapa Nui Old Ways and New Beginnings ust as the great voyaging canoes of the historic Polynesian eastward migration served to connect each individual island culture, so does the outrigger canoe of today evoke the accomplishments of the past. This grand sense of lokahi is the inspiration for the rediscovery of traditional Polynesian culture through the outrigger canoe, What is the appeal of the outrigger canoe to Polynesians and non-Polynesians alike? What feelings does the canoe evoke of adventure and allure? Why is it so important to the rediscovery of traditions of the Pacific? ‘ The Polynesian outrigger and in particular the Hawaiian configuration has been an object of admiration to mariners from the Western world since first contact. The swiftness, agility, seaworthiness and construction finesse have inspired great appreciation for the creators of these nimble and capable watercraft. The functional form, pleasant tapering of the hull, graceful closeout of the bow and stern and continuous but subtle curvature of all surfaces has a great appeal to the eye as well as to the senses of technical performance, function and durability. However, the basic shaping of the major components - the hull, the iako, the ama ~is tied right back to the nature through the shape of the raw material as it grows in the upland forests. The outrigger canoe is thus at once a work of art and a great technical achievement; at once a product of human directed intelligence and of nature. : Al Ching describes it this way: The outrigger is a time machine, connecting the present to the past and the past to the future - a Pacific artifact for all the world, equally at home in the museum, on the water, or in our dreams as we project forward into the future. The outrigger today connects people of all the Oceanic cultures through participation in outrigger racing just as its ancestor, the voyaging canoe, once connected populations through transport, Add to the functional elegance of this craft a well-tuned crew of six - thinking together, pulling together, acting as one - supporting the canoe as they support each other - and the canoe connects six individuals into a team. Ted Ralston shares his first recollection of an outrigger canoe through the eyes of a child. “I had seen canoes stored on the beach, had seen them in the canoe shed, but I was startled when I first saw a canoe underway. It came into my very young field of view from a widow overlooking Honolulu Harbor, the darkening sunset painting both koa and paddlers with a coat of bronze. Immediately, the dynamics of the scene made supreme logical sense, even to a child. The taper of the hull perfectly fitted the paddlers; the‘ama perfectly skimmed the water; the manu shape was perfectly majestic, sweeping down to a subtly curved mo’o; and the effortless swing of the paddlers was in perfect harmony. The canoe 33Ka‘nu Culture - Rapa Nui glided across the water causing no disturbance, leaving no wake. Every clement had a purpose, there was no waste, no awkwardness in design. All lines were smooth, fine and functional. From that point on, the canoe ceased to be simply static or utilitarian. It was elegant and revered.” Later, young Ted helped Lanikai fathers and older kids build their first canoe. “That Koa log drew attention from near and far and was the centre of social and physical activity for what seemed like forever, with people putting in great time, effort and sweat. The pungent, sweet smell of green Koa filled every weekend. | was amazed at the power of that log to focus so many for so long on something which had no apparent reward. There was a sense of purpose in the air as the beautifully grained and shaped Kelikai emerged out of the chips and sanding dust.” For Ted, “this magical, mystical hold of the outrigger has never slackened. The experience has been life-giving in a personal way, both in the most important facets of my life and in the satisfaction and rejuvenation still felt when paddling, fixing, writing or planning around the canoe. So it must be for thousands of others, reaching back ten thousand years, across ten thousand islands and forward in time to thousands yet unborn.” Outrigger canoeing is a technical topic, a cultural touchstone, a sport; as it once supported society now society supports it. The canoe is a perfect partner to the ocean ~ it leaves no wake, does not rip the ocean in half like powerboats do, makes no stoke and leaves no residue. It simply confornts to the shape of the ocean, rolling as the ocean rolls, snuggled into the surface as a baby in arms, enjoying the protection of those arms. The sense of harmony between canoe, ocean and paddlers must be a small proportion of the grander sense of mutual stewardship with the ocean felt by voyagers of the past. One cannot be in a canoe and have a feeling of conquering the ocean. The feeling is clearly more one of coexistence, working with the ocean's motion and moods, yet with an objective in mind. “I got a glimpse of this grander harmony once,” recalls Ted, describing an experience in the Catalina race some years ago. “We were far south of the pack, so far south that no other crew or escort boat could be seen. We had the ocean to ourselves. The sea was smooth, its surface rolling - slowly undulating as the swell rose and fell. The change boat, so far out ahead that the canoe had been lost to sight. Isolation and stillness invoked a great sense of calm as the change crew waited, quietly, surrounded by blue-green sea and bright sky. The approaching canoe first appeared as a dot, becoming larger until the dot began to emerge out of the sea. Soon it resolved into identifiable hull and ama with the sun’s glint on wet paddles speaking of motion and life. Then spaces grew to separate the bodies of paddlers. But the canoe still low on the horizon, appeared as eryKa'nu Culture - Rapa Nui an object of the sea rather than one upon the surface. About the time that the motions of individual paddlers and steering corrections could be discerned, the scene clarified into a graphic explanation, an awareness, of the timelessness of the outrigger cance. This canoe was fibreglass , but could have been wood. The ocean was California, but could have been Tahiti. The rigging was dacron, but could have been sennit. The paddlers were Anglo-Polynesian but could have been Pacific-Polynesian. The time could have been past or future. The deep ocean, with power to do anything to those on its surface, this day was friendly and quiet, slowly rolling and heaving from horizon to horizon in a smooth, steady undulation. The relatively tiny canoe, alive in its own right, rolling as the sea rolled, working with the motion not fighting nor besting it, reverent and respectful of the ocean but holding a steady course. The paddlers, six working as one, speaking as one with the one-word language, hut! Paddlers of the canoe but separate from the canoe. Canoe of the ocean but separate from it. Steerer, of the crew but separate from it, holding the course for an unseen destination beyond the horizon. Awareness dawned on me that the developing diarama explained much. The progression in scale, the ordered sequence, the structured dependence, the placed trust (all emerging in greater detail as the cance approached) is the set of relationships that enables the apparently insurmountable barrier of open ocean to be a part of human experience - whether for the voyagers of expanding Polynesia or for the outrigger racer today. The barrier becomes the avenue and the canoe a connective link to the horizon and beyond.” The navigation feats of the Polynesians are now coming to be appreciated on a broader stage as the pioneering Hokule’a and her spawned voyaging canoes from other island groups once again ply the Pacific. Similarities between the Polynesian voyaging experience and the pioneering space voyagers of today have been recognised by Dan Goldin head of nasa: “We and the Polynesians are basically doing the same thing,” said Dan, “the only difference being we go seven thousand miles per hour and they go seven.” At the Century of the Pacific Seminar held in conjunction with the visit of Hokule‘’a to Long Beach, California, Nasa space specialists and the Hokule‘a crew discovered more similarities than differences in their endeavours, whether voyaging navigation, craft construction, or their relation to society in general. Astronaut Bill Shepherd pointed out that the needs of society that voyaging filled were probably similar to the needs in our society that are fulfiled by the space program. However, to the voyaging Polynesians the risk was higher and the consequence of errors or loss to the community much greater. Tony Taylor and Chad Babayan discovered to the wonderment of all in attendance that the basic principles of navigating a spacecraft through the solar system or a voyaging canoe through a set of islands are the same.Ka'nu Culture - Rapa Nui The Hokute‘a voyaging t Shaper guanaro Canoe. San Franciso 1995, | | Soe The experimental voyaging developed by Hokule‘a allows active participation in a field of discovery previously accessible only to traditional academic practitioners. The interest of NASA brings to voyaging a whole world of remote sensing data capability with discoveries yet unmade. The popular interest in an endeavour so daring but so logical has awakened worldwide interest in the Polynesian past. Cultural re-connections inspired by Hokule’a throughout the Pacific is leading to social discoveries and valued experiences, thereby improving personal well-being. Throughout, the outrigger canoe is a timeless symbol at the centre. Through Easter Hokule‘a, the outrigger canoe once again touches the far reaches of Polyne: Island. The Loss of the Outrigger Canoe on Easter Island Since the middle of last century, Easter Island has been know as Rapa Ni has been part of Chile since 1888. The people of Easter Island are Polynesian and speak a language called Rapanui. It is related to, but more archaic than, Hawaiian, Maori, or other Polynesian languages. The island was through voyaging canoes, but the ancestors also used outrigger canoes. Easter Island is without a reef and the coast is rock-bound and treacherous, yet the outrigger canoe was, as everywhere in the Pacific, used to make the most of Easter Island’s marginal natural ocean environment. Sometime after 1868, the outrigger canoe disappeared from Rapa Nui waters. It ceased to be built and used - ceased to exist. With it went much history, knowledge of canoe construction and 36Sketch by J Lintori Palmer of HMS Toare 1868. shows plank outrigger 8 noe, reed float (pora) and paddle. British Museum experience in steering and paddling, however, not all that was lost. The earliest known drawing of an outrigger canoe on Rapa Nui is a pen and ink sketch made by Johann Reinhold Forster on Captain Cook's 1774 voyage. Two Rapa Nui men are shown, each with a composite paddle on the port side, the ama being on the starboard side. The canoe is described as a very wretched thing, patched together of several pieces, the head & stern high & the middle low; there was an outrigger fixed to it, & each of the men had a paddle made of more than one piece. Subsequent Europeans described outrigger canoes in similar ways. Most, about ten to twelve feet long and accommodating up to five people, were made of wood pieces and planks with edges bevelled or rabbetted for close fitting. Each individual piece of wood was sewn to another by plant fibre cordage that passed through holes pieced along the margins of the wood. Spaces between the wood pieces were caulked with moss. Imperfections in the wood were mended with small patches inserted with pegs. Rapa Nui plank cance with outrigger as seen in 1786 by La Perouse expedition. After Metraux 1940.Ka'nu Culture - Rapa Nui Some canoes were narrow, carrying two to four people. A French observer in 1786, described a canoe with the outrigger on the port side, saying that the distal ends of the tivo slender booms are attached to gumvales. An ethnographer, A Métraux thought that direct attachment of booms to floats meant the Rapa Nui outrigger was comparable to canoes in Hawai'i, the outer Tuamotus, Rimatara and others of the Austral Islands, the Cook Islands (except Aitutaki), Tutuila in Samoa and the Marquesas. The forked termination of the booms is unique in Polynesia. The raised ends of the Rapa Nui outrigger canoe compare with those of Tuamotus, the Marquesas, New Zealand, Hawai’i and Mangareva. Similar outriggers were seen in 1822. In 1868, the outrigger canoe was drawn by John Linton Palmer, an Englishman aboard tims roraz. Very soon after that, the outrigger canoe disappeared on Rapa Nui. Only a few, battered remnants were kept and used as coffins in burial caves. Like the giant stone statues called moni that have softened and eroded with time, the loss of the outrigger canoe left a lot of unanswered questions. How and why the outrigger canoe disappeared from Easter Island is a long, sad story. We wish to share with you now a happy epilogue to that story. Keeping with Easter Island tradition, where there are no words such as “once upon a time” to begin, we will just launch into it and let the words flow. Easter Island, the Dutch and the First Paddler: A South Pacific tale The first Europeans to set eyes on the island were Dutch. Led by Admiral Jacob Roggeveen in a flect of three vessels, they were in search of riches and fame. It was Easter Sunday, 1722, and the island was named in honour of the day. The three ships lay about two miles off the coast waiting for thunder, sheet lightning and showers to abate before sending a landing party. Out of the mist surrounding a ship, a lone man emerged in a small outrigger canoe made of patched and caulked wood boards sewn together with stout cord. He was anxious to board the ship to meet the newcomers. The Dutch vessel, which was about a hundred feet long with twenty- four cannon and eighty men, fascinated him. He showed great interest in everything, taking special notice of the tautness of the spars, the stoutness of the rigging and running gear, the sails and guns. Finally, his curiosity satisfied, he accepted a glass of wine and some trinkets, including two strings of blue beads, a mirror and a pair of scissors. Swinging down off the ship, he boarded his canoe, waved goodbye and was gone. Within hours, the ships were able to anchor about a quarter mile from the surging surf and rocky coastline. The water churned with swimmers and a great many outrigger canoes which the people called vaka, and which were about ten feet 38Ka’nu Culture - Rapa Nat long with high, pointed stern and stern pieces called vaero. On shore a huge crowd of shouting, gesturing people eagerly waited for the one hundred and thirty four men, armed with muskets, pistols and cutlass, to put to shore. As they disembarked, the Dutch moved slowly forward into the crowd in close formation, not knowing what to expect. Within minutes, a young man snatched a sailor's hat, another laid hands on a musket carried by one of Roggeveen's assistant pilots, who, terrified, struck the man. Immediately, others in the crowd picked up stones as if to pelt the foreigners. In the confusion, and with adrenaline pumping, the Dutch fired into the crowd, wounding or killing nearly a dozen people. When the smoke cleared, the paddler who had braved choppy seas to board the ship lay dead. More than two hundred years later, archaeologists digging on the north coast of Easter Island unearthed a small blue trade bead. While many other such beads probably found their way into the hand of people on Easter Island over many years of contact with Europeans, it is tempting to think that it this is the remnant of that string of beads given to the paddler by the Dutch. In 1989, the memory of that unnamed paddler was honoured with the founding of Mata Hoe Vaka Kahu Kahu O Hera Rapa Nui (Rapa Nui Outrigger Club), the first organised outrigger canoe club ever on Easter Island. Rapa Nui: Discovered, Settled and then Marooned Lying isolated in the East Pacific, in an extreme windward position, Rapa Nui is the last outpost of Polynesia, the easternmost of two hundred and eighty-seven islands contained within the “Polynesian Triangle” (Hawai'i and Aotearoa/New Zealand being the other two points of the triangle). Easter Island is only 160 square kilometers in area (about 62 square miles). It was formed about three million years ago by submarine volcanoes. Rapa Nui has no reef and is known as a “high island”. It is smaller than either Hawai'i or Aotearoa, but larger by far than its nearest neighbouring island of Pitcairn (4.5 square kilometers and also volcanic). Other relatively close islands include Mangareva (four volcanic islands with twenty-two smaller islands and atolls totalling 24 square miles) or Henderson (37 square kilometres and an elevated limestone island). Each of these islands, including Rapa Nui, has a marginal marine and land environment with limited natural resources. Each was either settled or used by prehistoric Polynesians. The home island of the Rapanui people is not known, but voyaging simulation studies indicate that it may have been Pitcairn. Archaeologist Geoffrey Irwin suggests that a voyage from Pitcairn to Rapa nui would have taken about 21 days and, if it did occur, probably took place during the Southern Hemisphere winter. Anthropologist Ben Finney has suggested three possible routes to Rapa Nui. Henderson and Pitcairn are only about 100 sea miles apart and both were inhabited 30.Ka'nu Culture - Rapa Nui and then abandoned prehistorically. Pitcairn and Mangareva are separated by about 375 miles, Rapa Nui is another 1,000 sea miles away. Rapa Nui was settled sometime before av 800 3 possibly as early as ap 300-400, An interactive sphere of limited but vital resource exchange and regular communication existed between Hend- erson, Pitcairn, Mang- areva and probably the Tuamotus from about ab 700-800 to the abandonment of long distance voyaging in this part of the Pacific about ap 1500. Archaeologist Marshall Weisler has shown that fine-grained basalt and black-lipped pearl shell (and probably many other things as well) were traded between Henderson and Mangareva. Rapanui oral traditions tell us that Easter Island was discovered by an exploratory party of six men sailing a canoe called Te Oraora-miro (The Living Wood). A settlement party then followed, led by the mythic hero Hotw Matu‘a (Great Parent). He set sail from a place called Marae-renga or Maravo-toe-hau in a great canoe, each hull of which was ninety feet long and six feet deep, or two individual canoes of similar dimensions. With him was his wife, family, friends and extended family. The settlers endured an arduous voyage and finally sighted land with the help of great clouds of migratory sea birds (probably following schools of tuna and other pelagic fish). The voyagers came ashore at Anakena on the north coast, the island’s most hospitable landing place. Hotu Matu‘a established residence there on the land called I te Kona mo te ariki (The country for the king). Within a short time, the settlers had explored the island. They began clearing stands of upland and lowland palm and other trees to create agricultural land. In their place they planted the trees and plants they had brought with them. They harvested sea urchins and other marine animals of coastal tide pools, hunted sea birds and exotic land birds such as parrots (now extinct). They built homes and sacred structures called alt. On some of the alu they erected statues called moni. The moai marked lineage lands and over time were made 40Ka’nu Culture - Rapa Nui bigger and heavier. For at least five hundred years there was enough timber to construct canoes big enough to bring in dolphin, turtles and tuna. These same canoes would have been capable of voyaging. Upon his death, Hotu Matu’a divided the island between his surviving sons. He 1 said to the eldest, “You are Kotuu, of Mata- inui and your descendants shall multiply ~ like the shells of the sea and the reeds of the crater and the pebbles of the beach.” And that is just what they did. Over time, the population grew and their territory expanded. Kotuu and his line claimed the north and west portions of the island and produced the paramount chief. The descendants of the youngest son of Hotu Matua, Hotu Iti, also prospered and gradually came to challenge the leadership of their higher-ranked kin. Hotu Iti was given the eastern part, the locale of the great volcano Rano Raraku. 5 In the quarries of Rano Raraku, ‘, generations of master artisans carved early a thousand of the haunting and magnificent moai. In the ancient ; A\tradition of master craftsmen, they “passed on the secrets of their trade for 4 many generations. With precision and accuracy, the stone was measured and cut to repeatedly reproduce the statues ith only minor changes in proportion or style. Certainly some of their ‘4 construction knowledge was from canoe V4: building techniques. 3 By the time the Dutch arrived in 1722, the island had been virtually denuded of trees and the only vessels seen were smaller outrigger canoes. Arévalo Pakarati - Courtesy of Jo Anne Van Tilburg Reconstructed Easter Istand Moai from Ahu Vinapu. aKa'nu Culture - Rapa Nui The Rapa Nui Double Canoe and the Isolation Factor Without the trees necessary to build large canoes, fishermen Sg were less able to go far out in search of big fish and food yy shortages became a problem. Before this problem arose however, voyaging canoes could have been built to transport people to any place in Eastern Polynesia, Sala y Gomez, or even to mainland South America. For years it has been written that the trees on Rapa Nui the average double hull canoe. Moving a moni required t strong direction, traditional knowledge, flexibility to find new \ ways of accomplishing the task and a kin group of about /2, seventy-five people. Nothing to keep the average Polynesian BE chief from success. In fact, it is typical of work projects on many islands. There are many other assumptions about Rapa Nui that need rethinking. For example, it has been assumed that Rapa Nui, once settled, remained in isolation until that day in April when the Dutch ships appeared on the horizon. navigation challenge presented is great. Ben Finney, f Nainoah Thompson and others have long believed that the original settlers actually found the island by fortuitous accident. That may be the case, but once there, \ they certainly would not have abandoned or lost what they had learned along the way. If anything can be learned from the moni carvers, it is that'% 2Ka'nu Culture - Rapa Nut the people of Rapa Nui had a tenacious hold on knowledge, keeping it and passing it on in organised schools or learning. Importantly as well, what we are beginning to learn about inter-island voyaging in the East Pacific tells us that, from about av 800 until about aD 1500, there is at least a possibility that Rapa Nui may have been contacted by other Polynesian people. There are only hints of such contact and no hard evidence, but the hints are enough to be taken seriously. One such hint was recognised by archaeologist Ed Ferdon Jr in 1981. He suggested that a unique thatched shelter on Rapa Nui was related to a very similar structure used as a deck cabin on Tuamotua double-ender canoes. In 1975, a petroglyph of a double canoe that was originally recorded by French archaeologist Henri Lavachery some thirty ycars earlier was examined in detail by Bob Koll, a volunteer working with American archaeologist William Mulloy. Recently, Herb Kawainu Kane cast his expert eye over Koll’s documentation, corrected Mulloy’s misinterpretation of its form and suggested that the petroglyph represented a different type of double canoe, more typical of other parts of East Polynesia. These are tantalising clues. Do they mean that canoes from more than one part of East Polynesia were known or sighted on Rapa Nui? Over the years, several kinds of historic ships are recorded in petroglyphs, so to immortalise a double canoe would not be so strange. So far, evidence is inconclusive, but stay tuned. Over time in East Polynesia, inter-island voyaging gradually decreased. This area never had the enormous hardwood trees as known in Hawai'i for example, and canoe construction is always limited to available timber. Furthermore, as resources in marginal environments were consumed, islands were abandoned. As Polynesians withdrew from east to west, Rapa Nui became increasingly isolated. Henderson and Pitcairn remained in mutual support until both were abandoned at about the same time. In the words of Geoff Irwin, "One can imagine the lights of settlement flickering out in this stretch of the Pacific and only Easter Island’s was left burning alone, perhaps less brightly.” Rapa Nui Outrigger Club: It Started With Hokule‘a Twenty years ago the great replica Hawai’ian voyaging canoe Hokule’a began the cultural reunification of the Polynesian islands. Outrigger canoe paddling and competition has steadily expanded. In 1989, University of Hawaii anthropologist Ben Finney, intimately involved with the Hokule‘a project since its inception, visited Rapa Nui. He talked in the schoo! auditorium about Hokule'a and about the place of Rapa Nui in Polynesian voyaging history. He emphasised that there were still many unanswered questions and also suggested that the theories of Thor Heyerdahl about the settlement of the Pacific by Peruvians might not be accurate. There were aKa'nu Culture - Rapa Nui murmurs or protest and surprise among the audience of children and adults. In talking later with Jo Anne Van Tilburg and Sergio Rapu, the Governor of Rapa Nui, it became clear that information about voyaging would be welcomed in the school program after Ben suggested bringing Hokule‘a to the island. Young people seemed to need and want something new and fun in their lives, so Ben suggested an outrigger club as a way to involve youth in cultural rediscovery and to renew some Polynesian cultural links in preparation for the arrival of Hokule’a or another voyaging program. There were two main issues to be resolved before founding an outrigger club on Rapa Nui. The first was to promise that the organisation would always be island- directed. This was crucial to the success of the project. The second was to work with someone who had a successful program already going, with a strong hand and the ability to work well with young people. This was necessary for the outrigger club to reach out to young people and to be welcome in the community. After Jo Anne met with several small groups of interested people, it was agreed that there was one person who fit the bill. Rodrigo Pava is Director of the Masters of Culture program of the island, Corporacién de Resguardo Cultural Mata Nui A Hotu A Matu'‘a O Kalu O Hera. This organisation which has men and women of all ages as members, creates and takes part in projects of cultural renewal in many fields, including arts and sports. After much discussion with the group, thirty of the one hundred and fifty Corporacién members opted to form an outrigger club called Mata Hoe Vaka (RNOC), with Rodrigo as President and Jo Anne as Advisor. A club logo was designed by Cristidn Arévalo Pakarati. Jo Anne, despite spending much of her life on islands, has never been much at home on the water. “... being Advisor to a canoe club meant that I was about to learn a lot. My work documenting the moai had convinced me that the statues were created by ‘masters of culture’ - artisans who were so well organised that they were able to pass down the secrets of statue design nearly unchanged for thirty-two generations. In that way they were just like other master artisans on other islands of Polynesia who had carved and constructed the giant double canoes. I believed that a better understanding of canoe culture would lend an insight into the ancient statue culture of Rapa Nui.” More to the point, a canoe club seemed like a godsend to youngsters without much to engage their attention or energy. Over the next three or four years, each time Jo Anne returned for field work, she would meet with RNOC to share ideas and make plans. The club’s direction was always set by the membership and cautiously. During that time, a small outrigger was donated to the island from Tahiti which, although inadequate for the rough seas of Rapa Nui, was a welcome and exciting introduction to outrigger canoe paddling. Eventually it was agreed that outside help “Ka'nu Cutture - Rapa Nai was needed so the idea of reaching out to honorary members as a means of fund raising was put into action and Curt Johnson who had a heartfelt attachment to Rapa Nui after he had worked there with Jo Anne as field crew in 1989, became Treasurer of RNOC. Slowly and carefully RNoc gained momentum on the island. Each time Jo Anne returned, youngsters would ask “When is the canoe coming?” It was not until 1991 though, that it seemed like that question would be answered “Very soon - one way or another.” In that year, something special happened. Rapa Nui is a dreamlike place of visions. Lots of people claim to see UFO's, even more say they commune with spirits. Whether any of these things is true or not is anyone's guess, but the star-filled skies and empty horizons do lend themselves well to the imaginative, creative mind. Walking home with friends one misty night of low skies and grey clouds, Jo Anne saw a white outrigger canoe shoot out of the fog and over the white surf line at Hanga Piko. “I stopped dead in my tracks and watched as it slowed and then disappeared into the darkness without landing. Others, who knew the sea well, did not see the canoe, but saw a wake. It seemed an omen, but of what? It did not land - did that mean that we would not be successful in our efforts?” Four years later in 1995, the mana of Hokule‘a initiated a chain of events that finally answered all our questions and culminated in the arrival on Rapa Nui of Tahatai, RNOc’s Hawai'ian Class Racer outrigger canoe. It all started when plans were announced for Hokule‘a to visit southern California. The community of Hawaiians living on the mainland came alive with excitement and everyone wanted to be involved organising a warm welcome. Komike Hokule‘a was formed to urge support for the West Coast Voyage of Discovery and Ka’ala Pang chaired the Komike. An open letter of invitation was sent out to the community and a core group of dedicated people gathered. The Mainland Council of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, headed by Kaiwi Pang, Kalifornia Outrigger Association and several other organisations joined together. The theme was Polynesian Voyaging Heritage Week and one goal of Komike Hokutle‘a was to foster interest in Polynesian culture in the larger southern California community. Another goal was to encourage voyaging heritage awareness among school children and the Hawaiian community. As the days and weeks stretched into months, a hundred ideas were tried and tested, to be rejected or accepted. The meetings were a joyful sharing of creative and imaginative ideas and the energy generated was enormous. In the best Hawaiian spirit, everyone and every idea was welcomed with open minds and when heated discussion or disagreement took place, issued were resolved in time-honoured and traditional ways. Komike Hokule‘a moved forward ho‘omoe wai kahi ke kao’o (like water flowing in one direction). 6Ka‘nu Culture - Rapa Nui The task of planning and considering was enormous. There are as many as eight different Polynesian groups in the area, all of which have special needs; the First Nation groups into whose territory Hokule’a would be intruding; paddlers, surfers, Inda halaus - all with different points of view; politicians and city officials; and the media. Then there was the care for the crew of Hokule‘a, their needs and families as well. And finally, to consider Hokule‘a, her safety and her upkeep. The challenge in bringing all these elements together was staggering .. . not to mention that all of the people involved continued with their jobs in the real world too. At the end of a long Saturday spent in agonised discussion, with the planning bogged to a halt and the task seeming insurmountable, a sudden realisation brought a connection with the past. Jo Anne recalls: “Here we were, stressed out, trying to plan an event involving a canoe voyage two years away, and it looked impossible. We just felt that we would not be able to do it. There were too many considerations and issues to be resolved. Even with all the resources we had, it was not going to work, it seemed. Then seeing how similar this situation must have been to that of say one thousand years ago, preparing for a voyage and the encountering of immense barriers. Their problems would have been similar to ours - considering conflicting viewpoints, the cost of building and provisions, uncertainty as to what lay ahead, the continuing demands of daily life. Not much has changed over time.” To provide a forum for the many interests and points of view that surrounded the visit of Hokule’a, the Century of the Pacific seminar was created. Scholars, space scientists, civil servants, Hokule‘a crew, paddlers and many other interested people shared the symposium room and alternated presentations on issues ranging from CRUST RSTn MRC aTKa‘nu Cutture - Rapa Nut health to international policy, canoe navigation, reef archaeology and life on the canoe. The audience was awe-struck by the warm and sincere appreciation that the various disciplines developed for each other and all benefited from the two days well spent. In the evening, Talk Story sessions allowed another form of expression. Hokule’a Navigator, Chad Babayan, summed it up best: “The knowledge available, if we listen to each other, is invaluable, but knowledge must be passed on to be most useful.” Plans were made for a great welcome at sea when Hokule‘a entered Long Beach Harbour. Ted Ralston took on the task of organising a fleet of outriggers as a welcoming committee. They would be joined by power and sailboats in escort, fire boats would belch streams of water and the Queen Mary, berthed nearby, would sound her horn. All of the other Polynesian communities would be invited to join the celebration and an outrigger regatta was planned. In a burst of enthusiasm, everyone agreed that members of RNOC should be invited. Ted agreed to join Jo Anne as Advisor to RNOC and a strong swell of support began to build. RNoc was moving to become reality. Just as a swell builds to a wave and accelerates the canoe, a long ride for RNOC was beginning! Against the odds, funds were raised for Rodrigo Paoa, Niko Haoa (Director of Mata Hoe Vaka-knoc), Cristian Arévalo Pakarati and five other members of RNOC to go to Long Beach. Kahakai Outrigger Canoe Club paddler Frank Spina (who speaks Spanish) volunteered to spend several weeks perfecting the paddling technique of the kNoc members. With equipment donated by Kahakai, two hour training sessions took place three times a week. Ted had the opportunity to spend time with the RNoc paddlers rigging the canoes, a skill that kNOC would need when they had a canoe of their own. In the process, it became clear that the terms for canoe parts in Rapa Nui are very similar to the Hawaiian. No great surprise from an academic point of view, perhaps, but a wonderful experience to have first hand - a validation of the links and connection : Two “Hawaiian Class Racers” lashed together, paddle out of Long Beach to meet with the Hokule’aKa'n Culture - Rapa Nui engendered by the outrigger canoe. But, when calling changes, RNOc favoured their own Ekahi! Elua! to Hut!Ho! Merina Paoa, Tito Paoa and Reneé Edmunds, Rapa Nui people living in southern California, extended hospitality to rNOc. Frank Spina and the Rapa Nui paddlers bonded during this time and when he journeyed to Rapa Nui later that year in December, he had a memorable few weeks with them, seeing the sights and making new friends, When Hokule’a sailed into Long Beach Harbour on 12 July 1995, rNoc crew headed by Niko Haoa were in one of the sixteen welcoming outrigger canoes. After Chad Babayan, Mike Tongg and Gordon Piianaia and crew navigated the throng of outrigger canoes and surfers on long boards, Hokule‘a docked in the Polynesian village set up in her honour. RNOC members in full ceremonial body paint joined eight other Pacific nations and host Gabrieleno-Tongva and Chumash (First Nation) tribes, in traditional welcoming ceremonies. The call of the conch shell echoed, the pu and pal sounded and the Ke leo heahea rang out, inviting the canoe to land. Absolute silence held nearly four thousand spectators enraptured as David Kapahulehua, first captain of Hokule‘a and her crew came ashore. Uncle David Nu‘uhiwa offered a Christian prayer and Kualana Chang spoke of the historical and cultural importance of the West Coast voyage. Keli’e Chang spoke the Mele koihonua, a genealogical chant naming lineages and places found both in Hawai’i and throughout Polynesia. Ho’okupu were presented. The width and breadth of the Polynesian triangle were represented that day, in brilliant GSKa'na Cauttare - Rapa Nui RNOC in Long Beach - July 1995. Nasa Space Station Commander and Hota ‘a crew member. Bill Shepherd. back row. second from right. 9Ka'nu Culture - Rapa Nui traditional garb and under a bright sky - distant and linked groups were all drawn together as one by the mana of Hokule‘a. A few days later, on 15 July 1995, RNoc was accepted into the International Polynesian Canoe Federation (ircr) by President Michael Tongg at a special reception hosted jointly by RNoc, Kahakai occ and koa. California paddlers joined the Ff celebration to meet their new international friends, warm words of welcome were spoken and gifts exchanged. Joining the crowd was NASA astronaut and Hokule“a crew member Bill Shepherd and officials from the - Long Beach-Valparaiso Sister Cities rule ny program. A connection that would prove a oh vital to NOC. California paddling kalu, sama! Sandy Kahanamoku, expressed sincere and heartfelt aloha when he discovered that he and Rodrigo and others shared the same family name of Paoa. Earlier in the day, RNOC paddlers raced against another canoe paddled by members of Hokule‘a crew, The Hokule’a team had a half-canoe length advantage at the start and held it but RNoc stood proud in their first race ever. Each RNOC paddler was awarded a special medal in commemoration of the race. At the end of the week, Niko Haoa, Rodrigo Paoa, along with Jo Anne and other RNOC paddlers and a mass of others in the Hokule‘a family, including Long Beach elected officials, boarded Hokule‘a to sail partway on her departing voyage. Jo Anne recalls: “In our excitement we could imagine Hokule’a pulling into Hanga Roa Otai (Rapa Nui) on her most challenging voyage ever.” There wasn’t a dry eye as the week-long event came to an end. One lonely, symbolic outrigger canoe and one surfer on a longboard escorted Hokule‘a as she pulled away. After putting off those who were not going to make the journey to San Diego, she hoisted sail and suddenly, was gone. In her wake she left an ohana of committed people, all promising to work with RNOC to get an outrigger canoe to Rapa Nui. She also left a dream: Hokule’a on Rapa Nui. Working together: Rapa Nui Outrigger Club and Tahatai ‘The support for RNOc created through the mana of Hokule‘a never dissipated. The week following the Long Beach celebrations was spent by RNOC members in Hawai'i. They were met by Ben Finney and Gerry De Benedetti at Honolulu and introduced 30Ka'nu Culture - Rapa Nai to local paddlers and enthusiasts. They attended racing events and the club captain of the Outrigger Canoe Club donated two steering and racing paddles. Rodrigo and the other members of RNoc returned to Rapa Nui with renewed desire to acquire a canoe and the youngsters were impressed with all their stories. A few months later, an historic meeting of the Outrigger Canoe Club was attended by Jo Anne who introduced the idea and goals of kNOC to a “Who's Who” of Hawaiian outrigger canoeing. In the meantime, Ted Ralston was talking story about RNOC to anyone who would listen and funds were slowly beginning to accumulate. Richard Kelton, who has a long-standing interest in Polynesia and is a sailor himself, arranged a generous donation from the Kelton Foundation which enabled RNOC to begin in earnest, the hunt for a suitable canoe. Anticipation building on the island was answered when Ted located a used, but never named, Hawaiian Class Racer for sale in Marina del Rey, California. The canoe was simply “#74”, but she had a history of her own. “Number seventy-four” was just what we were looking for. A stout Classic, in good shape, clean, well maintained and (critical in the rough waters of Rapa Nui) with spray covers. The cance had raced well in California and would be heading for the South Pacific - if we could raise the money, if no other buyer showed up, if we could arrange transport ... With funds way short and holding our breaths, the deal was sealed with about a month to make up the shortage. Into the breech stepped three people with energy and vision. Aldo Olmedo and Jan Schwartz, joined later by Allan Tebbetts, introduced to knoc during the visit of Hokule‘a. Aldo, born and raised in Chile, was astonished at the interest and enthusiasm which kNoc had inspired. He and Jan suggested that RNoc join the Trade Mission to Chile being organised at that time by the Long Beach Sister Cities Program. As the cultural component of the Trade Mission, kNoc would be a part of a major outreach and educational effort. ThroughKa‘nu Culture - Rapa Nui their efforts and with major corporate financial contributions coming from UFX Logistics, ETS Transport, Douglas Aircraft Co., Grey Owl Paddles of Canada and many others ~ together with all the kokua and aloha from individual members from around the world — RNoc was able to close the books at the necessary purchase price and become the proud owners of an outrigger canoe. Aldo also called upon personal friendship to arrange for the canoe’s transportation to Rapa Nui. Without the kind support and interest from so many people, this story would have ended now. On a cold and rainy southern California Saturday in February 1996, nearly three hundred people gathered on the beach near Valparaiso Park in Long Beach to name and bless the canoe. Paddled by RNoc members, Curt Johnson, Johannes Van Tilburg, Aldo Olmedo, Margie Ralston, Connie Edmondson and steered by Ted Ralston, the unnamed, flower-filled outrigger canoe approached the shore and the waiting crowd. She was escorted by Kahakai occ canoes and the tall ships, Californian and Hawaiian Chieftan. The hushed crowd waited in anticipation and the only sound was the steady rain on jackets and umbrellas, then the crunch of sand as the canoe was dragged ashore and the strong voice of Kumu Clarice Wahineali’i Nui as she chanted a traditional oli. Ka‘ala Pang welcomed everyone and Kaiwi Pang spoke on behalf of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. The canoe was given the name Talatai, the Rapanui variant of Kahakai, in honour of the tie forged between the two canoe clubs. Jo Anne sprinkled red sand from the Rapa Nui beach of Ovahe onto the wet, grey sands of Long Beach and Hawaiian sea water was passed from hand to hand in the calabash to be sprinkled on the canoe. Some said the continuous, cold California rain was, in fact, a blessing. In the Rapanui rongorongo P tradition, voices raised in chant become part of the wind and sounds echo down the years of history. Words enfold and enwrap people and objects, holding them safe and preserving them. In keeping with these traditions, Treasurer Curt Johnson read the name of every single person, every organisation and every corporation that contributed to making the RNoc f ORO ane 52Ka'nu Culture - Rapa Nui BEN ENFIELD dream a reality. In that way, all these names became a part of the new history of Tahatai, increasing and sharing her mana, to be carried with her on the journey to distant Rapa Nui. The following weekend, a second, more private cere- * mony, was held for Tahatai, Uncle David Nut ‘uhiwa gave the blessing and Thomas Kalama spoke on behalf of Uncle Noah Kalama, Founder of koa. Ho’okupu of lei, ti leaves, books and educational materials were placed inside Tahatai. Cords for rigging were donated from Hokule‘a and jackets and hats for the paddlers given by Patagonia Company. The entire assembly joined hands to share the blessing and then partook of traditional Hawaiian foods.Uncle David, troubled by something he sensed in Tahatai, returned twice to bless her in the week following. When he was finally satisfied that Talatai was released of any ill sense by transferring it to his own body, she was ready to enter her new sea. Volunteers then created the world’s longest box to encase Tahatai for her departure from Long Beach in the hold of csav SudAmericana de Vapores (Chilean Lines) Buenaventura. Tito Paoa assumed a major role at this point and would be a key player in the events that followed. Aldo Olmedo demonstrated yet another skill as he orchestrated the assembly of the shipping crate in the UFX Logistics warehouse. Tahatai would be well protected for her six thousand mile journey. Two months later, Tahatai was officially handed off from Chilean Lines to the Admiral in Chief, First Naval Zone, Armada de Chile. According to Mr Victor Pino T, President of CSAV and Admiral Busch, a wonderful ceremony and reception were held in Valparaiso in honour of Tahatai. One side of the crate was removed as an honour guard stood by. Pictures were taken, hands shaken and the crate re- sealed. Talatai was featured in the Valpairaso newspaper. With the involvement of Chilean Lines and the Chilean Navy, we hope to generate interest in outrigger in mainland Chile. Finally, on April 20, 1996 (Jo Anne's birthday) Talatai was lashed on deck aboard a small Armada de Chile boat of her very own and departed for Rapa Nui. 53Ka’nu Culture - Rapa Nui Coming home: Tahatai arrives on Rapa Nui Seven days after departure, the Armade de Chile vessel arrived in Hanga Piko. The surf was rough and heavy, so they moved off to Hanga Roa Otai. RNOC members, led by Niko Haoa, boarded the navy ship and before the paper work was even finished, rigged and off-loaded Tahatai, paddling her in to shore in triumph. When she touched the sand, Tahatai ushered in renewal of a special and honoured aspect of Polynesian culture for Rapa Nui. Tito Paoa, who went back to Rapa Nui especially for the ceremonies, talked to his family about the choice of landing place and about Jo Anne’s long-ago sighting of a phantom canoe at Hanga Piko. They told him it meant that Tahatai was never meant to land at Hanga Piko and was always destined to arrive at Hanga Roa Otai. But why? Why was Taliatai destined to come ashore in that special place? Could it be because Hanga Roa Otai is the place where the first Rapanui paddler, felled so long ago ina hail of Dutch powder and shot, lay down his life? We all would like to think that, in some way, Tahatai is setting history back on track. As so often on Rapa Nui, history and fantasy, legend and reality meet in dynamic ways. Tahatai is housed snugly in her very own hare vaka hard by Hanga Roa Otai. On 18 May 1996, excited members of RNOC, the fishing community, island leaders, Allan and ¥ Bonnie Tebbetts rep- z resenting the Long Beach Sister Cities and officers of the Chilean = Navy gathered while Governor = Jacobo Hey and Mayor Petero Edmunds spoke # words of official welcome. # Father Navarrete, the island priest, gave the blessing. i Tito spoke for all the = members of RNOC telling everyone of the hard work § and dedication that had been put into this projectall had ra the same Baddling, thep i teaeig. imaginat! youngsters into new and unt ntellectua VGils a the stage, sat in a chair and itRugapeeen Wane tapes and big story | boa een menibets and long-time island resi Weber, padtiled the Tahitian canoe for the first time ever and p wi much to the amusement of friends and neighbours. There are now fouir: teams from the local school involved ‘in oe with .., Rodrigo in a padding program. There re foisr t¢ams, two of each boys and girls aged fourteen to eighteen and six teams of adults of several ages. Instructors are _ Rodrigo Paoa;'C Uri Tepano and Kio Teao and training is on, Tuesdays: e and Thursdays. Sometin(e.a lot afpaddlers show up, sometinies only'a few. All are. interested, t ut Tahatai has no ‘competition onthe island to make aracd,.°Boreas cin utara) come their eae i ere ere n the ocean is no!With Rodrigo and some of the other paddlers, I helped paddle Tahatai out toward the setting sun. It is an unbelievable experience to sit so low in the water, looking out at some of the highest surf I have ever seen, then turning to ride in toward green hills and long, black shadows of the magnificent, standing moai. As the blades of paddles broke the water in perfect unison, each paddler responding, at once to the steerer, I could imagine what it must have been like in the ancient days, when statues were cut from the living rock with the same unified, precise strokes and at the urging of artisans. Polynesian voyaging, outrigger canoe paddling and the giant moni all teach us that, working together, as one, in harmony, “10 job is too big when done by all.” At the beginning of this tale, you learned about the early explorers and accounts of the Rapa Nui outrigger canoe. There is some confusion about on which side the ama was rigged. Forster, a reliable observer, saw a canoe with the ama on the starboard side, while others said it was on the port. Herb Kawainui Kane, an acknowledged authority on Polynesian culture, says that starboard placement is virtually unknown in east Polynesia, but suggests that alternate placement of the ama is a clever solution in challenging seas. When Tito Paoa was on the island, he helped rig Tahatai with the anu on the starboard side after first checking the ocean conditions and deciding that it was smarter and safer that way. It seems that this was a part of the old Rapanui ways too, a sure sign that important knowledge ad common sense are often one and the same in Polynesian traditions. On Rapa Nui, history sometimes seems obscured or lost. Most of the time , it is merely silent. | OM UFR LOGISTTahatai, white against the sea and skimming along like a bird, is fully at home in Rapa Nui waters. for the first time in over one hundred years, a strong, capable vessel with all of the sana of a worldwide family of friends can travel the coastline of Rapa Nui with grace and speed. Just as loving parents give their children wings, all of us who worked on this project have given Tahatai hers. In turn, she will teach us about the past and carry Rapanui children and into their future. To become a member of Mata Hoe Vaka Kahu Kahu O Hera (RNOC) send USS25 to: Curtiss H. Johnson (Treasurer), 711 Montezuma Court, Ontario, CA 91762. Membership fee is tax deductible and includes a yearly newsletter “Rongo” ~ = HKa'nu Culture - (Micronesia Micronesia’s Explosive oR Ka'nu Culture . TEXT AND PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY NOLAN HENDRICKS / PETER MELYAN icronesia, hundreds of tiny islands located in the western Pacific, is blessed with optimal canoe conditions — clean tropical waters, sandy beaches, favourable trade winds and people who have used the ocean as a commercial highway for thousands of years. It is no wonder then, that modern canoe culture throughout the region has seen an explosive upsurge in popularity in Guam and Saipan. Other islands, such as the Patan, Pohnpei, and the low lying outer islands of Chuwk — Pultwat, Pulusuk, and Pulap — have also witnessed modest growth. Ea aM dan trem tn Leading the pack in outrigger canoeing and kayaking is the Guam Kayak and Outrigger Canoe Federation — known locally as rroa and named after the sleek Mariana Islands canoe — whieh was formed in 1993. Recognized by the International Olympic Committee family of sports, rRoa serves to educate the public about the region’s rich and colorful canoe traditions, as well as develop a better understanding of the inherent canoe building techniques unique to this region. And, because proa is a member in good standing with the International Polynesian Canoe Federation (ircr) canoe culture networking throughout the insular Pacific, is thriving.Ka'nu Culture - Micronesia As a result of rroa’s initiative three years ago, a second canoe club, though not aligned with ircr nor the 10c, was formed on Guam — the Marianas Paddlesport & Racing Association. PRoa is also reaching out to the other Micronesian islands to help develop and inculcate standards needed for internationally sanctioned events. Conservative estimates of canoe participants throughout the region tops two thousand; more people and clubs are expected on the horizon. Historical Traditions The Micronesian islands have a justifiable reputation as leaders in sea-faring technology that has spanned several thousand intermittent years. Westerners first caught a glimpse of the sleekness of Mariana Islands’ boat-building skills when the intrepid Portuguese captain-general Ferdinand Magellan first ‘discovered’ Guam in 1521. Magellan’s chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta, describes in his journal that first meeting of two worlds: Chamorro boats resemble fucelere, but are narrower, and some are black, some white, others red. At the side opposite the sail, they have a large piece of wood pointed at the top, with poles laid across it and resting on the water, in order that the boats may sail more safely. The sail is made front palm leaves sewn together and shaped like a lateen sail. For rudders, they use a certain blade resembling a hearth shovel which has a piece of wood at the end, They change stern and boww at will and those boats resenible the dolphins which leap in the water from wave to wave. Chamorro sailors rep- ortedly manoeuvred easily around the bulky Spanish galleon ships, but due to cultural differences and the Spanish desire to explore and lay claim to lands for the church and crown, blood- shed was spilled. A mere century later, Spain had virtually subjugated all Chamorro and laid waste to many of the cultural traditions, including nav- igation and canoc building. Lost to history was the First ever Guam women’s outrigger team flying p a peated at the South Pacific Games Tahiti 1995 known four hundred yearsKa'nu Culture - Micronesia Guam paddlers at Noumea, New Caledonia IPCF World Sprint Titles 1996. Left to right: Doug Cousineau. Kelly Dawes, Gene Odom. Spring Cousineau. Jenny Chargualaf. Jorgi Swandhagen. Bianca Cushing. Marilou Parinasan. Chris Taniguchi. Bianca was a finalist at these sprints (under 16). Kelly Dawes reached the semi finals and Chris Taniguchi (under 16) reached the quarter finals. Right: Matapang Beach Race January 1996. Junior team otKa'nu Culture - Micronesia ago, and five other canoe types used by Chamorro to fulfill a variety of ocean-going tasks. Following the collapse of Spain as a worldwide empire at the end of the nineteenth century, a succession of colonial powers (Germany, Japan and America) coupled with the devastation of World War II, relegated Mariana Islands ocean technology to historic documents. A cultural renaissance has gained momentum in the last decade, due in small part to world decolonization, but more importantly, through the resurrection of pride in cultural traditions. Countless hours of research about the once formidable sea-faring technology of the Chamorro have helped lay a foundation for better understanding of proa building techniques and navigation skills. Much of this research has led to a modified version of the proa that is suited for the region. PRoa first put its version of the proa to the test in the 1994 Micronesian Games, a regional festival of sports that witnessed canoe technology and skills at its finest. Guam earned a gold medal and the respect of competing islanders, The stage was set after the Guam victory for other such internationally recognized events as the ipck World Sprints, Queen Lili‘uokalani Long Distance Canoe Races and the South Pacific Games. Because the enthusiasm for canoe and kayak racing is still growing, PROA administrators are looking forward to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.Ka'nu Cautture - Micronesia Guam Outrigger Team on a day off in Tahiti during the 1995 South Pacific Games. Moorea Shane Black (second from right) was Guam’s youngest paddler at the South Pact Games, paddling with a local Tahitian crew. Papeete Harbour, cific PROA sanctioned events for 1996-97 A number of Proa-sponsored races will be held in Guam’s waters over the next year to prepare paddlers for international events. Some of the series people can look forward to include: Chief Mata’ pang Challenge Race Series, Kareran East Coast Open Ocean Race, Dos Amantes Race, Labor Day Race. In addition to a wide array of outrigger canoe races, PROA will hold clinics to train and educate youth, as well as venture into more remote islands of Micronesia to help foster kayak and canoe culture for the twenty-first century. 63Ka'nu Culture - Micronesia Doug Cousineau (foreground) ~ Chief Gadao Race Series to select a team for the IPCF World Sprints in Noumea. New Caledonia. To find out more about Micronesia’s canoe culture, contact PROA Guam Kayak and Outrigger Canoe Federation P.O. Box 21809 GMF, Guam 96921 Telephone Office: (671) 475-4662, Home: (671) 789-1567 Facsimile GNOC: (671) 472-4273, PROA: (671) 734-6824 Internet: melscot@kuentos.guam.net South Pacific Games Tahiti 1995. Open Men's first team. otKa'nu Culture - Canada Photographed on the morning after 3+ > the Ice-Breaker Race put on: by the _ Lotus:Sports Club, Vancouver. BC . Pr * Canada. _ These photos show paddlers from Fr ’ Mountain Home Canoe Club Oregon: ae q last paddle to be followedKa'nn Culture - Canada Some races are staged as'double - Rr caer Cae possibility of capsize!Ka'‘nu Culture ~ Cook Istands Kia Ora from Rarotonga. A Day in Paradise PHOTOS AND TEXT STEVE WEST y six week sojourn in the UK and Havwaii had come to an end. Although my original intention was to spend two days in Rarotonga (the Cook Islands) I had caucelled because it was time to get back home. It seems that the gods had another plan in store... The Cook Islands group was first inhabited between 500 and 1000AD, chiefly from the Society Islands but also apparently with close New Zealand associations, Although Captain James Cook never did step ashore on these islands, he did make three visits and it remains the only Pacific area named after him, even though he was not the first European to happen upon these islands. The principal island, Rarotonga often simply called “Raro”, is located midway between Australia and Rapa Nui (Easter Islands). Fifteen islands make up the Cook group over a distance of some 1000 miles (1600km). Closest neighbours are the Society Islands 400 miles (640km) to the north-east, Niue 580 miles (930km) to the west, and the Austral or Tubuai Islands some 300 miles (480km) to the south-east. These distances are ironically less than some distances between the island of the Cook group themselves, yet total land mass of the islands barely covers 93 square miles (242km). The Cook Islands is divided into a northern and southern group. The northern group is principally no more than coral atolls, rising less than ten feet above sea level with poor soil and low rainfall. Whilst the islands of the southern group which include Rarotonga, Mangaia, Atiu, Aitutaki, Mauke, Mitiaro, Takutea and Manuae are larger volcanic islands with rugged interiors and whose higher rainfalls have encouraged growth of tropical vegetation. Rarotonga is 21 miles in periphery (34km) with its highest peak at 2140 feet (652m). The first European to sight the islands was a Spaniard named Alvara de Mendana and between 1773 and 1823 Europeans were regular visitors. With much the same timing of the Boston Missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands in 1820, the London Missionary Society came to Rarotonga to establish missions on Aitutaki in 1821 and Rarotonga in 1827. As in other places around the globe, this Ied to the decline of traditional customs, ritual and practices of the local inhabitants. orKa'nu Culture - Cook Istands Austral Is, POLYNESIA_.---"~" dain In 1888 the islands became a British protectorate and in 190] were annexed to tr the British Empire as part of the Takuterige eMitioro Dominion of New Zealand. In 1965 the islands became self governing whilst © Rarotongs continuing to maintain strong links with New Zealand. Cook Islanders were naturally skilled fisherman, seafarers and canoe builders and shared many of the beliefs, customs, as well as language of their Polynesian neighbours from the Society Islands. Early European reports noted that both double canoes and outrigger canoes were in use. Double canoes were similar to those of Hawaii and the Society Islands, being used for similar purposes, namely warfare, deep-sea voyaging between islands and as cargo vessels. Smaller outrigger canoes were used for fishing and Aituteti® — eijanuae © Mangaio 68Ka'nu Culture - Cook Istands short coastal trips and usually accommodated only one or two paddlers. In terms of Cook Island canoe designs, it has been concluded that similarities exist between canoes of the Marquesas Islands and New Zealand, with modifications most probably made by immigrants from Samoa and Tonga. For example, the form of the dugout underbody in canoes found in the island of Mangaia and in Rarotonga were and remain identical to those found in Tahiti. A raised ornamental stern post sometimes added to canoes, as high as five feet, resembled those as seen on Maori canoes, often being disproportionate in relation to canoe length. Canoes with single outriggers, had two iako (locally called kiato as in Maori). These were always rigged out on the left, resting across the gunwale and attached by sennet lashings passed through paired holes either side and below. Attachment to the ama was direct by curved elbow or forked branch which slotted into a bored hole on the ama. In Aitutaki the attachment of iako to ama was indirect, using instead a Y-shaped stanchion fixed into a hole on the ama with the iako braced between the forks and lashed with sennet. Some original canoes with single outrigger were up to forty fect in length, approximately one foot four inches wide at either end and up to two foot wide in the middle, similar to contemporary racing outrigger canoes. Seating up to a dozen crew and generally no less than five, the canoe was often made from a single log that was beautifully ornamented. Often the rear iako was positioned close to the stern, the forward one relatively farther aft, so that they were wide apart. The ama was and remains generally straight and cylindrical. Like most regions of the Pacific, neighbouring islands often had a variance in methods of attaching iako to ama as well as of raw materials and canoe design generally. This was due not only to variable vegetation but also sea conditions, even for islands in close proximity. Some canoes were only used in lagoons where the water was shallow and always calm. These variances are evident throughout the Cook Islands where environmental differences occur, even if the fundamental design principles remain similar. Today, designs are rather impolitely referred to as degenerate variations of the original, being smaller, less ornate and with a general lack of attention to detail. This can be said of many canoes around the Pacific which have been made purely for utilitarian purposes. In short, the Cook Islands has a rich history of association with the outrigger canoe, which makes their participation in and willingness to be a part of contemporary outrigger canoe racing all the more relevant and important.Ka'nu Culture ~ Cook Istands ood carving, the skill and art which developed in the manufacture of canoes, was traditionally the domain of expert craftsmen, or Ta’unga as they are known in the Cook Islands. Michael Tavioni is such a man, with whom 1 met for the first time on my visit when the plane's landing gear packed in, leaving me stranded for a day on Rarotonga. As luck would have it, J was in the company of Kris Kjeldsen of Moana Nui, New Zealand, both of us returning home from the Queen Lili’ uokalani Race at Kona in Hawaii, Armed with a Rarotonga phone book we found two Tavioni names (the odds were looking good) and quickly hooked up with the right number to be told how to find Mike - just along the beach from the Edgewater Hotel where we were roughing it in style. After a sumptuous breakfast courtesy of Air New Zealand, we jumped on an island bus and headed a short way along y 5 the road to one of two of Mike’s wood carving huts, located amongst the trees not far from the airport. The other workshop is in the main town of Avarua. Somewhat surprisingly, rather than island music drifting from under the thatched roof creating a tropical ambiance, “techno” blared for the handful of young wood carvers working on tiki figures and bone amulets. “Perhaps it speeds the work,” I thought. Down the side of the hut lay a double canoe with enormous stern posts. A little beyond, an array of canoe shaped dugouts of differing sizes. Mike was out on lunch so Kris wandered off, soon to return on the back of Mike’s moped. (No mean feat I can tell you.) Shaking Michael Tavioni’s hand, I was relieved to meet a man who wouldn't go for techno music. Despite having his lunch h . interrupted, he was clearly happy to meet eo with us. Visitors with an interest in canoes Cast aside dugouts - even master wood are always welcome here. carvers have their rejects. These waiting to We naturally fell into conversation _be transformed into ama or kids’ canoes. 70Ka'nu Culture - Cook Istands Michael Tavioni - Ta‘unga - committed to development of outrigger canoe paddling in the Cook Islands, by using wood carving skills in the making of paddles and canoes. mKa'nu Culture - Cook Islands about canoes and canoeing and when he realised we were on the island for only a few hours, he talked fast and showed us as much as he could. It was explained that the dugouts down the side of the hut were all part of an experimental process. Some were way too small and probably would end up being modified into ama for larger canoes or solo canoes. Mike first became interested in canoe paddling in 1985 when two six person In one of Rarotonga’s tranquil lagoons five soto canoes sunbathe on their canoe platform. Above. the canoe closest is made from Breadfruit tree. Attachment of tako to canoe is via raised spreaders (in common with Tahiti) and attached with rubbers. The curved timber jako arch over and attach to a peg that is driven into the ama. Note the small ama. which requires fine balance as it submerges easily. Below. from left. one Breadfruit canoe. the others are fibreglass — the first to be made in the Cook fslands. In the background. an Au (Hau) tree that provides for so many raw materials for paddle and canoe construction, particularly iako and paddles.Ka'nu Culture - Cook Istands A double hull sailing canoe of traditional design. The large stern posts are ornamental and have origins in design which relate back to cultural associations with Aotearoa. (New Zealand) In the background. Mike Tavioni's work place. Below, the canoe looking towards the bow,Ka'nu Culture - Cook Islands Ornamental stern posts added to this Mike's paddles have become something of double hulled sailing canoe have links with @ passion since he began making them Maori canoes as contact between the Cook —_—back in 1987. This paddle made from Au or Islands and Aotearoa was common. Hau as it’s known in Hawaii (Sea leading to a similarity of canoe concepts. Mangrove) and African Tulip tree. This canoe seen outside the carving shed. 2 ie % Rs es .& canoes were brought by paddlers from Tahiti These canoes are now rather run down and in constant need of repair. During the following year, the Cook Islands Canoeing Association was formed with Mike being president until 1995. The current president is Paul Turepu. In the late eighties Mike began making paddles because no one else was and they had been coming from Tahiti. Being a wood carver by trade amongst other things (sketch artist and agricultural officer), paddle making came reasonably easy being simply a matter of experimentation. Mike has established himself as one of the driving forces behind outrigger canoe paddling in the islands, establishing the first of the four canoe clubs on Rarotonga, Itimanuka. The name he believes, brings the club good fortune, associated with a legend which tells of a woman who whilst paddling from one island to another, 74Ka'na Culeure - Cook Islands This paddle Mike made for his daughter James. who has worked as a wood for the South Pacific Games in Tahiti. in carving apprentice since he was thirteen, which the Cook Islands participated. Js a devoted canoe paddler and has made it « a his special project to work on the production of fibreglass solo canoes and solo canoes in general. . ? o rn capsizes in rough seas. Her canoe sinks * but she is taken to land by the Itimanuka, a mythical sea creature. Whilst both the making and repairing of traditional canoes has always been of interest, recently Mike has turned his hand to building canoes which can be used for contemporary racing. Together with long time apprentice James, he has been working on a project to construct fibreglass solo outrigger canoes so local paddlers can begin learning and practising the skills required for competitive outrigger canoe racing. The best way to show us what they had come up with was to take us down along the beach to where the canoes were stored on a canoe platform fronting a glassy turquoise lagoon. Beyond, a fringing reef pounded by huge ocean waves and 3Ka'nu Culture - Cook Istands in the distance the cobalt blue of the Pacific Ocean. Mike explained that they had considerable problems in getting things going to produce competitive canoes on any scale because of a lack of finance and the skills of fibreglass construction. The latest efforts have involved shaping a solo outrigger from dugout timber, using that as a basic mould from which to make four fibreglass | canoes. Although not perfect, the canoes are remarkably quick. ft was agreed after a paddle around the lagoon however, that the ama needed to be larger with a greater degree of flotation as it tended to "submarine" on you. Nonetheless, it has been a bonus to have these canoes finished. Much credit goes to James for all the - work he has put in, being his special Project. James is not only an accomplished canoe paddler who has a great love of the sport, but through his talents he will be regarded as an important part of the growth of outrigger canoe paddling in the Cook Islands, ] am sure. We also got to paddle a dugout Breadfruit tree canoe, which was really a treat. The feel of paddling an all organic canoe is something special and its crudeness only adds to the enjoyment and challenge of paddling such a craft. It was interesting to note the indirect method of attaching ama to iako having a separate peg driven into the ama, with the iako then being attached to it using rubber inner tube. This indirect method was traditionally used only on the island of Aitutaki where most of the paddling done was in shallow lagoon areas. Mike's innovative nature has also lead him to delve back to traditional Cook 76 Mike and James have used what is known as the indirect method of attachment of jako to ama. A peg is driven into the ama as a fixed item and the iako is attached to the peg, in this case by rubber. Traditionally in the Cook Islands. the island of Aitutaki was the only island where this method was used. Other islands used the direct method of attachment, whereby the iako curved over and was driven directly into the ama. Using this indirect method, the iako can be affixed at varying heights to trim the canoe relative to conditions. however it is interesting to note that the canoes used in Aitutaki are used in flat lagoon conditions.Ka'nu Culture - Cook Islands Top. My daughter Alana (6) asati the Breadfruit canoe. In March on earsinige held its first junior regatta with the youngest paddlers being five. Below, a fibreglass canoe which travelled remarkably quickly over the glassy lagoon. As a first attempt Mike and James have done a great job and the fibreglass canoes will certainly make a positive contribution to the growth of the sport in the Cook Islands. Island paddle designs. A favourite is is the Mangaia design so ‘named after the island of Mangaia which has been influential in canoe and paddle design throughout the southern Cook Islands. Though similar to the Teardrop design of Tahiti, the Mangaia paddle has a more pronounced shape, like a diamond with pointed tip, the widest part of the blade being two thirds up the length. The blade is concave or scooped with a belief that the paddle tip entry is smoother having the effect of less air being taken down with the blade as with square tips. A cleaner entry and anchor with maximum width being higher up the blade, pulling is made easier. It takes around eight hours to produce a finished paddle, using largely Au (Hau - 7Ka'nu Culture - Cook Istands =| Sea Mangrove) favouring it, as in Tahiti, for its lightness and strength. The green tinge and complex markings he sees as a bonus, producing an aesthetically pleasing paddle. Also used for paddle 4 making is African Tulip tree and Flame { Tree. Flame tree timber is used sometimes for the handle and shaft whilst Au (Hat) is | used for blade lamination. These local timbers take approximately three years to cure before use. If used before curing || adequately they will split as the sap continues to dry out. mS 5} There are also two six person canoes, asta as far back as 1985, which are used by four different canoe clubs on the : island. This has fostered strong ties with Tahiti. Getting enough interest in canoe paddling is not the problem, lack of canoes is and it is in this respect that there needs to be an improvement. Ironically, government support seems to find its way into traditional Western sports such as rugby and rugby league. This seems insensitive to the cultural needs of Cook Island people who should be given every opportunity to rekindle a significant cultural pastime, not only to bring residents of the Cook Islands together but also to allow sharing with others of the Pacific and Pacific Rim. Despite the problems, what they have lacked in gear has been made up for in * heart and enthusiasm. In 1988 a team made its first appearance at ‘the wer World Sprint Championships in Hawaii, with Mike as coach and paddler, going on to make the semi finals. In 1994 Cook Island paddlers competed in Samoa during their flag day celebrations and came back with nine trophies. In 1995 a women’s team won the 2500m sprint event in Tahiti at the South Pacific Games and finished fourth in the marathon despite being swamped and having to stop and bail. A goal is to send a team to the Moloka’i races once finances are better. Plans are being made to stage a dugout canoe race around Rarotonga to be known as the Rarotonga Race. This would be along the lines of the Moloka’i and 78| meado below, organte Breadfrult canoe for ‘stability. Skill was needed, even in the lagoon’s flat water, Ka'nu Culture - Cook Istands ig transparent as air, ws of coral carpet Kris Kjeldsen tests the to prevent the ama submerging. There are plans {0 resolve this with larger. La Hawaiki Nui races, but to keep the traditional theme strong invitations to Pacific island nations would be extended with all equipment supplied. On the local scene, paddlers train three times a week. For the past decade or so, local races have been held using the two canoes donated from Tahiti. In March 1996, races in the new solo outriggers were staged for age groups from five to thirteen. Winners of each division received paddles shaped by Mike. This encouragement and promotion is seen as essential to the future of Cook Island participation in the sport at all levels, as well as to cultural revival. As it is for so many Polynesian people, Mike Tavioni feels a sense of pride in being associated with and involved in canoe paddling. Through it he stays in touch with Cook Island and Polynesian heritage, as well as sharing wood carving skills. After paddling around the lagoon and talking story, we headed back to our hotel, only to be met later at the airport where Mike presented Kris and | with a paddle cach and Alana, a hand carved whalebone turtle. The gods had been kind this day in making our meeting and exchange of Aloha possible. | left with a feeling of how wonderfully universal the canoe is throughout the Pacific and how it connects us all if we take an interest in its heritage. If ever you are passing through Rarotonga contact Mike Tavioni or Paul Turepu by writing to: PO Box 65, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. ~Ka'nu Culture - Olympic Status Olympic Status for Outrigger Canoe Racing Reality or Fantasy? BY STEVE WEST s time marches inexorably on towards the year 2000 and another Olympic Games, many sporting disciplines seemingly worthy of inclusion, will not feature and recent criticism has been made of some current Olympic events which interest only fringe groups and have all the appeal of watching paint dry, whilst other more exciting sports, still struggle for credibility. At the same time, many sports fans and participants accept that the respective world championship or world cup events of certain sports (for example soccer) already represent the pinnacle of achievement in that sport and in this resect, does the significance and inclusion of such a sport in the Olympics, really come to mean all that it should? As hard a pill as it may be to swallow, it should be acknowledged that whilst outrigger canoe racing may not be as tame as synchronised swimming in athletic or spectator terms, it is nonetheless a minority sport in terms of participants worldwide, and it will remain so for a long time. The bottom line is that minority sports are simply not eligible for inclusion in the Olympics however worthy we may believe our sport to be. The International Polynesian Cance Federation (incr) charter includes the goal to have outrigger canoe racing accepted as an Olympic sport. It is from this organisation that the push for Olympic status emanates. However, there are enormous challenges to overcome before the International Olympic Committee would even begin to consider outrigger canoe racing as an Olympic sport. Many of these challenges revolve around the prerequisites that any sport must meet in order to be given Olympic status, One of the 10C prerequisites is that the ipce must gain acceptance by and membership to the International Canoe Federation (ict). This would be no small feat because under current icF design rulings, the outrigger canoe for six people does not qualify as a “canoe”. It is just this sort of issue which represents the tip of the iceberg in terms of having outrigger canoe racing accepted as an Olympic event.Ka'nu Culture - Olympic Status This is not an easy subject, but I make no apology for trying to convey some home truths. Paddlers around the world need to appreciate the enormity of the challenges which the ircr faces in achieving their goal of Olympic status due to various peculiarities of the sport which will have an effect on the quest. My initial reaction in considering outrigger canoeing striving for Olympic status is that it seems to be diametrically opposed to other aims of the 1pcr charter, namely, fostering the powerful cultural elements of outrigger canoe racing as well as bringing together the peoples of Oceania. Olympic competitors are elite athletes whose success is largely determined by availability of training facilities and money. Not only do you need to be the best, but you need big bucks to represent your country at the Olympics. Money which comes from grants, scholarships, government funds or personal wealth is gobbled up over years of training, racing, travelling and equipment purchases. Which begs the question, where would a small, sparsely populated nation, such as those island regions who paddle, find this sort of cash to support them ? Taken a step further, which nations would win the majority of medals? In terms of outrigger canoe racing, is it safe to say that traditional “canoe” countries, who Pride themselves on being the caretakers and original participants of the sport, may not be able to compete at this level, with those nations having the ludicrous amounts of money necessary to bring home medals? Assume that crews from mainland America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand (and eventually Europe) will be dominant and Fiji, Samoa, Tonga et al, will not even get a look in. Countries with larger populations or bigger budgets will, as always, dominate. Therein lies the dichotomy. A Pacific island sport introduced to the world via the Olympics and those cultures who really want to stand up to be counted for prowess in a sport that is fundamentally their own, will be outgunned by the players with more money, better facilities and bigger gene pools. Furthermore, is it possible that we would see a greater watering-down of the cultural elements of the sport - a dilution of what it means to the cultures of Oceania? Outrigger canoe racing presented to the world, not as the originators ‘would want it to be, but as the media and the rest of the world would have it? I threw some of these concerns out on the Internet and a few of the responses were enlightening. Some ideas relate to the legacy of western imperialism and colonialism that island nations of the Pacific continue to carry .. . Your question regarding outrigger canoe racing and the Olympics is quite thought provoking, My initial problem with the idea of outrigger canoe racing being an Olympic Sport is who the participants will be. Outrigger canoe racing today is quite technological yet it is rooted in the cultures stKa'nu Culture - Olynpic Status of the peoples of the Pacific. The problem I see lies in the legacy of colonialism. Many of the indigenous peoples of Oceania are still subjects of Western powers. Therefore many of the native people of the Pacific are not free to paddle under their own flag. For example Tahitians and other French Polynesians would have to paddle under the French flag due to 10c rules, The same is true of Native Hawatians who would have to compete under the banner of the United States of America. Despite these reservations I think outrigger canoe racing becoming an Olympic sport would increase the exposure of the sport and greatly enhance its competitiveness. If outrigger canoe racing were to become an Olympic sport I have a feeling that Europeans, Australians, Canadians and Americans would do evenly well in the sprints. The reason being that these nations have the money, training facilities and the technological resources to be competitive. Marathon or distance racing is a different story. I think that the nations who have a history of being water sportspeople would have the advantage, namely Australia, New Zealand, USA etcetera. My step-father (who is Native Hawaiian) and I often discuss whether or not outrigger canoe racing is essentially cultural or purely for speed. What we basically agree on is that it is a combination of the two. When you are out in the water you are definitely trying to go faster than the other crews out there. Going faster is greatly enhanced by the many new technological inventions in the sport. You are not thinking about any historic or cultural implications. However, one cannot overlook the mana that a four hundred pound Koa canoe has. Rigging a Koa canoe is a cultural thing, because these were the vehicles of transportation for the peoples of the Pacific. Moreover, these cultural feelings are also felt during the regatta season watching the keiki's (children) race and seeing their ohana (family) there to meet them on shore with leis and hugs. I think that paddling is already an expensive sport, without it being an Olympic sport. Paddles, canoes, entry fees, travel expenses and everything else make outrigger canoe racing an expensive sport. The top crews need to have both time and money to compete at the highest level - in addition to athletic ability. Amongst paddling friends of mine we joke that the people best qualified to paddle are people with no jobs because they have the time, and wealthy people because they can make the time and have the money it takes. If you are just an average person you sacrifice time with your family and loved ones and suffer financially. In closing I would say that 1 support the idea of outrigger canoe racing as an Olympic sport but with provision to be made for the indigenous peoples of the Pacific. It would not dilute the sport culturally any more than it already is. Malama pono Kamakani Markham, Hilo, Hawai'i 82,Ka'nu Culture - Olympic Status Kamakani is someone who (like many canoe paddlers of Hawaii) has made the sport very much a part of his life and in doing so has spent many hours considering just what it means to be a part of all that this sport represents. His observation of the legacy of colonialism is an enlightening concept about which many others are comfortably numb. What it serves to remind us of, is not only of the rather unpleasant past but also of the complexities of that remaining legacy and what it means ultimately to the cultural identity of this sport at the Olympic level. So if you are Tahitian, you will be representing France and if you are Native Hawaiian, you will be representing the USA, and so on. The colonial legacy continues. The cultural heritage, which natural born canoe paddlers hold as proud and warrior-like, would be lumped-in with cultures that have no bearing on, nor association with the heritage of the outrigger canoe and its peoples. The reality is that provision is not made by the 10c for cultural sensitivities and needs. This must represent a challenge to overcome for the trcr. In terms of cultural dilution, there would seem to be an acceptance that this has already occurred - and certainly it has in terms of ritual and custom. However, fundamental deep-rooted, spiritual and cultural values are still very much inherent in the sport. These are manifested and kept alive by many of the participants, spurned on by an understanding that this is one of the toughest sports on the planet, particularly in relation to long distance, open ocean racing which forces you to search deep within to overcome physical pain and fear in order to be the best you can and at one with the elements. This next letter from the world’s most unlikely outrigger growth area, Texas USA, emphasises expansion of the sport and a belief that outrigger canoe racing should strive to be included in the Olympics. I absolutely feel it should be an Olympic event. The sport has grown and is expanding into new frontiers every year. Heck, even here in Texas we are getting rolling with one club, maybe more! I don’t think it would take away the cultural aspects because there is such a deep-rooted spiritual side to the sport. Sure it’s fun, sure it's competitive, but it is also about coming together to accomplish a singular goal. More so than any of the other team sports outrigger canoe racing involves an almost communal commitment from it's paddlers. It is their commitment and mental toughness that separates crews even more so than fitness and technique. How else could you explain the success of some of the recent “throw-together” crews? To make the canoe “fly” everyone needs to be in sync mentally as well as physically. There hasn't been a singular technique proven to be the best. The strongest team doesn't always win, and the fittest team does not guarantee victory. 83Ka'nu Culture - Olympic Status It is a spiritual event that only paddlers can truly relate to. I believe you must have both the long distance and the sprints to get a true picture of outrigger canocing. The sprints facilitate a spectator friendly event whereas distance spotlight the ruggedness of the sport. With this combination is the possibility to draw a wide audience as well as some big dollar sponsors. I disagree with the sentiment that the Olympics have lost their ideals. The Dream Team may be farce, but for the other athletes and events the Olympics is the ultimate pinnacle of success in sport. Winning a gold medal in the Olympics signifies being the best in the world at your sport. Money and fame can't take away from that. But at the same time it is more than that. In the words of an Army recruitment poster, “To be all that you can be.” That's the Olympic ideal. For many the arrival at the games is the biggest hurdle, and in that there is triumph even in the face of defeat. One does not need to win a medal to earn the respect of being one of the best and to be a proud representative. That is the Olympic ideal at its finest, to be the best you can be and also be a fine representative of your sport and country! Frank Hooton, Lone Star Outrigger Canoe Club Clearly a pro-Olympic response with a belief that the Olympic ideals are still in good shape. One of my questions, (lias) the Olympics lost the plot in terms of its ideals, is a question we should all be asking ourselves, including the tPcr. Just how valid is the Olympic Games as a sporting event? There is cynicism and suspicion roused by commercial hype, abuse of drugs, terrorism and the absurd and almost obscene amount of money invested in medal winning (“buying” medals). Public confidence in the validity of the Olympics would seem to have been eroded, to some extent. So, just what is it that Olympic status can do for the sport of outrigger canoe racing? I suggest that it will not improve the level of competition over what is currently experienced at the World Sprint Championships, Moloka‘i and Hawaiki Nui Va’a distance events. Currently the Moloka’i distance races for men and women attract elite crews from all over and are widely accepted as the “World Distance Championships” of sport. By virtue of the nature of the Kaiwi Channel, the stretch of open ocean separating Moloka’i and Oahu, a distance race at an artificial Olympic venue would seem lame in comparison. There is only one Moloka’i and only one Hawaiki Nui Va’a! In considering some of the obstacles facing the irc in achieving this goal, here are a few sobering thoughts. Firstly, the politics. According to their Charter, only certain sporting bodies are recognised by the International Olympic Committee (10c) - the atKa'nu Culture - Olympic Status International Canoe Federation (icr) being one of them. This means that the ipcF has to be a member of the International Canoe Federation. In this way, it is the ck which holds the key to outrigger canoe racing's acceptance by the 10c. However, the outrigger canoe is not even recognised as a “canoe” by the statutes of the IcF, SO any pcr effort whilst these statutes remain in force would seem futile. One suggestion in overcoming this, is that individual outrigger associations or federations should join their national canoeing associations or federations which are already associated with the icr and in this way gain possible “backdoor” entry to the Icr, This would still not gain acceptance however, as 1c design requirements preclude outrigger canoes from being seen as canoes. It seems a great irony that outrigger canoes, representing one of the most significant contributions to maritime history and the development of canoe architecture, are not even recognised as canoes by the single most powerful and influential canoeing federation on the planet. If they aren’t canoes, what the hell are they? In my understanding, whether a seacraft is a canoe or not, relates to a beam-to-length ratio in the order of six to one, or in other words, narrow and much longer than they are wide. There 1 was all those years, along with all you other suckers, thinking they were canoes. Well they are not it seems, so get used to it. Question is, what should we call them? Taking another look at this deal consider some alternatives. Clearly the icF ideals have already been contaminated, from the purist’s point of view, with the inclusion of kayak in the icr’s smorgasbord of paddle craft, as kayaking cannot be classified 85Ka'nu Calture - Olynpic Status by any stretch of the imagination, as canoeing. Ask the Eskimo if you are unsure. Rowers, on the other hand, seem to have the right idea with the formation of the International Rowing Federation. Rowing is a paddle (or oar) sport as the craft is propelled through the water by means of a leverage device and biomechanical application. My point being, why should we struggle for membership of the Ick when clearly that body does not have the interests of outrigger canoe racing at heart or compassion for its cultural needs? The IcF has actually suggested that once outrigger associations and federations have joined their respective national canoeing association or federation, that every effort should be made to encourage outrigger paddlers to swap to kayak paddling! | Does this sound like a crafty recruitment plan or what? To give an example, the Australian Canoe Federation (cr) went through a stage of hounding the Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association to become members. When it got down to the nitty gritty it became clear that whilst outrigger canoe paddlers would add some two and a half thousand members to the act and proportionally increase the amount of government funding, as far as distribution of those funds, outrigger would receive a mere token with the bulk of the money going to recognised Olympic sports. nc the case in New Zealand. d pecul So getting back to my point, wl iccept the fact that outrigger canoe paddling i r equipment which precludes it from being bold thing to do is for the trcr to strive for we federation. Whilst this process may take d control of the sport. a national level, if outrigger canoe racing country, being separate from main stream ous bodies such as the tcF or that countries be a non-issue and attracting government the case in New Zealand where the national ian Canoe Sporting Federation (Nga Kaihoe hat outrigger canoe paddii unique with nised as such and funded individually, to ind looking to expand this to some $300000 Zealand Canoeing Federation or the Ick. @utrigger canoe racing has expanded cnough n and if it is, there will be a further time 10 the first games in which the sport makes in the Olympic Games any sport must be ies on four continents (this being for men ies after the year 2000) with forty countries 86Ka'nu Culture - Olympic Status and three continents (presently required for women). In the light of these requirements, let us consider where we are at present. (Time for a reality check.) When we look at the membership list of the ircr, American Samoa, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Guam and Marianas Islands would fall under the flag of the United States. Rapa Nui (Easter Islands) would race under the banner of Chile. Hong Kong would be with China. Canada, Stahlo and the Native Participation Committee would be part of Canada. France, Tahiti, Wallis Futuna and New Caledonia would be recognised as France. Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Western Samoa, Italy and the United Kingdom would stand alone. This gives a total of thirteen countries - a shortfall of sixty-two countries for men and twenty-seven for women, before the new ruling come into effect. International Canoe Federation representative Andy Toro attended the ipcr meeting after the 1996 Moloka’i to give insight into future prospects of outrigger canoe racing being accepted as an Olympic sport. He confirmed what many of us already know but have a hard time accepting, and that is, it is increasingly difficult to gain Olympic status. In order to realise the enormity of the tpcF task we must acknowledge all the implications. It is important to protect the uniqueness of the sport, being sensitive to its peculiarities both culturally and geographically, and to accept that Olympic status, however achieved, may come at too high a cost. There are many who believe that the trcr would do better to concentrate its efforts on development worldwide to achieve the number of participating nations required before making a bid for stand-alone acceptance by the toc. Reaching beyond the sparse, fragmented population of Oceania into mainland America and Europe, outrigger canoe racing surely will, given time, attract the numbers to gain strength, credibility and acceptance as a unique and popular sport in its own right. A viable alternative to striving for Olympic status would seem to be for the IPCF to focus on existing international events that already attract the world’s best paddlers and are, officially or unofficially, regarded as “world championships”. Importantly, these events would be more representative of all participating canoe cultures. In terms of both money and competition, they would be within reach of the greatest number of paddlers from the greatest number of participating nations. Furthermore, bringing competitors from around the globe could only be of financial benefit to organisers and the nations of Oceania. Many venues within Oceania, apart from being ideally suited to outrigger canoe racing, evoke all that the sport represents physically, culturally and spiritually. It is here that there is a recognition and honouring of canoe culture and a valuing of the cultural links engendered by the canoe, fostering the powerful cultural elements of outrigger canoe racing, as well as bringing together the outrigger Ohana, 87Ka'nu Culture - Outrigger Web Sites The World Wide Web of Outrigger Canoe Paddling BY STEVE WEST f you are the sort of person who breaks out in a nervous sweat just using an atm or finds programming the video machine an intellectual challenge of epic proportions, then chances are messing around with the Internet and computers probably sends you into a similar condition. Well here's a good reason to get over your paranoia, because the Internet has become a way cool place to hang out and explore the many outrigger related sites that are beginning to festoon cyber space. “Paddling the Net” is definitely becoming a way to keep in touch with what's going on out there on Planet Outrigger and beyond, Snooping around the outrigger Web Sites (What the hell’s a Web Site? you may be asking) you will learn a heap of stuff you never knew. There is the Outrigger List, which has well over four hundred members all over the world who regularly e-mail messages to one another individually, or to all in one hit. Ina sport rapidly becoming spread out across the globe, yet one that is, for many of tis, a minority, esoteric preoccupation, being online and using the Web as a resource makes economic sense for knowledge-hungry paddlers. First of all, it is with humility, that ] can claim to be eminently qualified to write this piece regarding the World Wide Web, e-mail and all things cyber. This is because (no idle boast) I have found that the best way to have techno stuff like this downloaded to you is by people like myself. People who once were techno-phobic. People who once did not know the difference between a quadruped ram (featuring mouth at one end and bum at the other) and computer ram. However I acknowledge that the more computer literate amongst you may feel that what I have to say is like a child’s introduction to the subject - to you, my apologies. Be that as it may, this is not meant as a lesson in Internet or computer technology. Rather, in plain English, it explains how the Internet can be your path to a more fulfiling outrigger paddling experience if you can spend time on the Web exploring Outrigger Sites and sending e-mail to fellow paddlers. Basically the World Wide Web is a massive reference book full of pages of sites (or places) to visit via a computer which is set up to do so, having special software and a modem ~ an electronic device like a telephone, which links your computer to others. The technology is not overly expensive and can be purchased as part of a 88Ka'nu C utture ~ Outrigger Web Sites GF regular PC package. Ask your sales person to explain more. Moving rapidly away from hardware and software needs, Web Sites are designed and created by seriously enthusiastic individuals who spend late nights and early mornings hammering away at their creations (me included). All done in the vain hope that what they have to say is unbelievably relevant, important and altogether a creation bordering on genius, that humankind simply cannot be without. This is the great thing about Web Sites. They are unendingly varied and provide an absolute plethora (a lot) of information, some of it very useful. With so much information and from so many sources, there is a danger of being swamped, but the potential to be informed far outweighs the risks. Web sites include graphics and photos, text (of course) and importantly, links to other sites. The quality of the design is in the hands of the creator — some are good and some are decidedly bad, due largely to poor layout and inappropriate use or over-use of graphics. By simply clicking on the name of a related site, your modem is off searching and in seconds you have moved from Maui to Australia or Texas. It blows you away. When the novelty of the technology wears off, the need to know and communicate keeps you going back. Each site has a unique Web Page address or in more unfriendly terms a Universal Resource Locator (URL). Our address at Ka’nu Culture is a typical example: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~kanu. Essentially it is a whole lotta abbreviations which serve to distinguish one site from the others. Typing the address into your Web Browser (software that searches for Web Site addresses) you will arrive at our site. The time for something to appear on the screen depends on a host of things, often on the speed of your modem (spend more bucks and get the fastest - trust me, you'll save on phone bills). The amount of graphics contained in the Web Site you are downloading (retrieving) will also affect the time it takes. There are other software applications which are dedicated to searching out key words. For example type in “outrigger” and wait to see what comes up. This can take up to a minute (relative to modem speed etcetera) and you will end up with a list of outrigger-related sites to select from, but will also include Sites such as the outrigger hotels. It must be stressed that the Web and e-mail are two different things each requiring separate software packages. As for e-mail, well that’s pretty simple. The “e" stands for electronic, hence “electronic mail’, A separate e-mail address is allocated to you, part of which you choose. For example, the Ka’nu Culture e-mail address is: kanu@ozemail.com.au, with the word “kanu” being our choice. The symbol @ means “at” and “ozemail” is our “service provider” (the big guns to whom we pay a monthly fee for being online). The word “com” means 9Ka'nu Culture ~ Outrigger Web Sites 9 “commercial” and “au” is the standard abbreviation for Australia. So armed with a personal e-mail address and all the goodies needed to be online you can then send messages to fellow paddlers all over the globe - instantly and way cheaper than a fax or phone call. Regular mail via your local post office, is known to e-mail users as Snailmail because of the comparatively ludicrous time it takes to travel even short distances, if it makes it at all. Consequently e-mail users tend to be impatient beings. Those of us who want it all and want it now! Information rage (akin to road rage) is not uncommon. The faster we know the more informed and up to the absolute second we feel. So that’s e-mail. You'll never have to buy an eight hundred page book on the subject, because your favourite, multi-topical outrigger publication, has answered all those nagging questions for you. Right? Let’s get away from all this rivetting, but nonetheless essential intro material and get on down to the meaty part. What is out there in cyber space that you as an outrigger paddler just cannot live without? Plenty. And the amount of information that is being added to the World Wide Web on a monthly (and even daily) basis regarding outrigger canoeing is really exciting. So rapid is its growth that whatever we include here now will have undoubtedly increased by the time you read these words, So Iet’s take a look at a good place to start, The Outrigger List. Outrigger List - outrigger@europa.com Created by Brian Mulvaney, from Oregon USA. Brian is an outrigger paddler and one who can boast of being genuinely computer literate, selling software for a living. He has an interest in all paddlesports and his Web Site reflects this. He also has a love of Oregon going into a quasi-tourist trip around that impressive state to make his site all the more compelling and interesting. Outrigger List has had mixed reactions. It is the singular best way on the planet for outriggers to stay informed - even too informed! Sometimes you have to put up with extraneous material whether you want it or not, which is the downside previously mentioned. Some complain about jk mail but these are in the minority. Four hundred or so addressees on the list are interconnected, so when you send a message to outrigger@europa.com it will be sent on a bulk basis to all those. Once e-mail has been received this way, if you wish to reply individually to the sender, their address can be identified. For those wanting to keep updated with international outrigger race results, the Outrigger List is proving to be the best source. Like all information, it is only as good as what goes in - rubbish in, rubbish out. Generally speaking however, the quality of the information is informative and rarely dreary. This site has proved useful as an 90Ka'nu Culture - Outrigger WOeb Sites open forum, with discussions ranging from, paddle design, solo canoe design, airfares, coaching and paddling techniques, and as a means for tracking down equipment, people and race information. Some subscribers are more active than others, always ready with an opinion, whilst the vast majority are voyeurs - peeking from behind the micro chips without revealing themselves or contributing. It can be frustrating when input is required and the response is poor. Increasing numbers of subscribers will doubtlessly add to the number of active participants. Results from around the world of major (and some not so major) events can be at hand as fast as someone cares to key them in and post them on the Outrigger List or via some other web site. For example, Danny Toye runs a web site specialising in Hawaiian ocean sports. He hooked up his lap top via mobile phone and put himself in a support boat to cross the Kaiwi Channel following this year’s Moloka’i races, then posted regular updates as to the progress of the race. So you could be sitting, as 1 was for the women's race, in your home thousands of miles away, receiving updates every half hour or so via e-mail. Funky! If this seems like the way to go for you, read on to find out how to arrange it. The following is a transcript of what appears when you request to become part of the list. Aloha. Welcome to the outrigger e-mail list. The outrigger list is an unmoderated e-mail forum for the discussion and dissemination of information on all aspects of outrigger paddling and canoe culture. Requests to post messages, reply to previous postings and join or leave the list are automatically handled by e-mail listserver software known as majordomo. Topics may include, but are by no means limited to: & Race results 4A Race schedules & Club announcements & Paddling Ups and techniques & Equipment wanted or for sale A Information in print or on the web & Discussion of outrigger history and culture A Analysis of race results A New products & “Where do | find?” questions, etcetera. . . 1 To Post Messages for distribution to the list. send e-mail to the following address: outrigger@europa.com 2 To subscribe to the list send e-mail to: majordomo@europa.com Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message put: subscribe outrigger 3 To unsubscribe from the list send e-mail to: majordomo@europa.com Leave the subject fine blank. In the body of the message put: unsubscribe outrigger. [Do not send unsubscribed messages to outrigger@europa.com as this will not do anything but irritate other subscribers} 4 To get help with majordomo commands. like who is on the list or what lists are on the server, send é-mail to majordomo@europa.com with the word “help” in the body of the message. 5 Save this message 6 If you have received this message and you did not send a subscribe command to 0Ka'nu Culture - Outrigger T0cb Sites majordomo@europa.com it probably means that the list owner believes you to be an outrigger paddler and has taken the liberty of subscribing you to the list. Hopefully this meets with your approval. If not. please follow the instructions on unsubscribing and accept an apology in the paddling spirit. The Outrigger List is sponsored by Brian Mulvaney: mulvaney@europa.com of the Columbia River Outrigger Canoe Club in Portland, Oregon. The listserver is hosted by Europa Internet Services in Portland. Oregon. More information on the majordomo listserver program is available at: Attp/fwww.greateircle.com. A digest version of the outrigger list is now available. The digest comes out three times a week: Monday: Wednesday: Saturday. All postings to outrigger@europa.com since the last digest are compiled into a single e-mall message and sent to subscribers of a companion, receive-only list called outrigger-digest. This means that with only three e-mat! messages a week you can reduce inbox clutter. yet stay on top of happenings in the outrigger world. To sign up for outrigger-digest. send an e-mail message to majordomo@europa.com. In the body of the message put: subscribe outrigger-digest. unsubscribe outrigger The second line (unsubscribe outrigger} will take you off the regular list so that you won't continue to receive individual postings in addition to the digest. The info file for the Outrigger List has been updated to reflect the addition of the digest version. If you want to get a copy of the latest outrigger info file send e-mail to majordomo@europa.com with “info outrigger” in the body of the message. Most activity is from mainland America. It is a real buzz as the global growth of the sport can be seen by the amount of activity on the Internet. Brian has since moved to the UK but will maintain this list and his web site and will no doubt be creating a UK outrigger site. Ed Web Sites The type of information offered by Web Sites can be divided into Club and Association, Commercial, Education and Gencral Information. Some Web Sites are devoted to race results and race promotion whilst others provide a mix. Most provide links with other sites, in the the interests of making their site multi-purpose and therefore of more value. The few commercial sites existing at the time of going to print, promote and sell products such as paddles, fine art and books (Kanu Culture for example). This type of site is bound to increase in number. Some of the Web Sites promote the sport on a general level as well as being a powerful means of making available much needed information to newcomers or other paddle sport enthusiasts keen to know more. In 92Ka'nu Culture - Outrigger Web Sites many non-traditional areas, information has been hard to come by, which is also ‘one of the reasons for the existence of Kanu Culture. Information is also available regarding some outrigger canoe racing events held around the world every year. Race sites include press releases, contact numbers, how to enter and so on - invaluable for participants of a sport which has wide global appeal and a small number of participants. Clubs and associations are jumping in to create Web Sites, providing valuable information about themselves and often also an outline of the nature of outrigger canoe paddling or the local race season and events. Many provide links to other major outrigger Web Sites. In this regard it is not only the contents of a web site, but the links which it provides that make it a valuable resource, rather like an index with push button access to the rest of the outrigger canoe paddling world. Pacitie Northwest Raclug Canoe Page “ Eds CANOE CLUB OF SANTA BARBARA CANOE CLUB NEWS Welcome to the Ku Nai'a Outrigger Canoe Page lex! Welcome to the Paddlers' Web Home Page 93Ka'nu Culture - Outrigger W0cb Sites OUTRIGGER WEB SITE DIRECTORY Th Outrigger Canoeing FAQ http://www.ozemail.com.au/~kanu/faq.heml EXCELLENT INTRODUCTORY OUTRIGGER INFORMATION About Outrigger Canoeing hetp:/Mwww.ozemail.comau/~bazzat/about-oc.htm! GENERAL INFORMATION - AUSTRALIAN BASED Polynesian Voyaging Canoe Society http://leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/pys EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL SITE WITH MANY RELATED SITES Double Hulled Canoe Association http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kekoaopono Canoe Building http:/leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/pvs/L2canoebuild.htm! Parts of a Hawaiian Canoe gopher://nic2.hawaii.net:70/00/PVS/4.0-Canoe-Building/4.5-Parts Ernie’s Speak Hawaiian Page hetp://www.mhpcc.edulotherpages/ernie/ernie| html AMUSING INTRODUCTION TO HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE INCLUDING PIDGEON: ASSOCIATIONS Pacific Northwest Canoe Racing Page http://www.nwcanoe.com GREAT SITE WITH EXTENSIVE LINKS TO OTHER RELATED SITES Canadian Outrigger Racing Association http://www.nwcanoe.com/cora.huml Pacific Northwest Outrigger Racing Canoe Association htcp://www.nwcanoe.comorca.huml Kalifornia Outrigger Association (KOA) http//www.users.cts.com/crash/r/ram/koall html International Polynesian Canoe Federation http://www.ozemail.com.au!~kanu/ipef.heml CLUBS Dana Outrigger Canoe Club http://www.earthlinknet/~kanuman Kumulani Outrigger Canoe Club hup://www.users.cts.com/crash/r/ram Lone Star Outrigger Canoe Club hetp://www.bga.com/~padipad! ‘Sydney Outrigger Canoe Club http//www.ozemail.com.au/~bazzat Waikoloa Outrigger Canoe Club heep:/Avww.cfht hawaii.edu/~berntwec.heml San Diego Outrigger Canoe Club hetp:/members.aol.com/takeadair/sdoce.html Ka Nai’a (Santa Barbara OCC) http://patience.ece.ucsb.edu/~anders/kanaiaindex.hem! Kilohana Outrigger Canoe Club http://www.geocities.com/~kilohana otKa'nu Culture - Outrigger Web Sites 95 RACE INFORMATION Holoholo Canu News http://holoholo.org/canunews: EXCELLENT SITE FOR HAWAIIAN CANOE RACING UPDATES, GENERAL RACE INFORMATION ETC Bankoh Na Wahine O Ke Kai http:/holoholo.org/wahine Bankoh Moloka'i Hoe http://holoholo.org/hoe Bankoh Kayak Challenge http:/holoholo.org/kayak Queen Liliuokalani Long Distance Race http//holoholo.org/canunews/qu_iiliu.htmal Mike Giblin’s Outrigger Page http:/www.maui.new~giblin 1996 Mainland USA Results hetp://www.nwcanoe.com/9émainland-resutts.htm! 1996 Mainland USA Schedule http://www.nwcanoe.com/96mainland-sched.hum! Kanaka I’kalka http://holoholo.com/ikaikalindex.hom Southern California SurfSki-OC1 Race Schedule http://www.nwcanoe.com/so_cal_surfski.html Steinlarger ho’omana o’ Sailing Canoe Race hetp://holcholo.org/hoomanaolindex.hem! GENERAL The Paddler’s Net http:/mindlink.nec/summit/P,Net htm! COVERS ALL PADDLE SPORTS ~ EXCELLENT SOURCE THAT'S LOADED WITH INFORMATION Paddle Safe (Body By You) http//holoholo.com/bodybyu HEALTH & FITNESS RELATING TO OUTRIGGER CANOEING The Kaukahi httpy/www.france-ouest.tm.fr/bresc96/brst96gb/coudceur.htm, ACCOUNT OF A KOA CANOE'S JOURNEY TO FRANCE ci Kanu Culture - Planet Outriggers Handbook http://www.ozemail.com.au/~kanu Hawaii Paddler Magazine http://www.peacock.com/HawaiiPaddler Tahiti Hoe http?//www.surfart.com/cahitihoe.htm Raymond Helgeson hetp://www.maui.net/~helgeson/ Paradox Adventure Craft http://www.peg.apc.org/~paradoxac Hawaiian Outrigger Paddler http://www .tropicsdesign.com/HOCP Zaveral Racing Paddles www.imall.com/stores/zaveral Canoe Sports California www.cancesports.com Xylo Blades hetp://www 1 .tpgi.com.au/users/mstreok/xylo.htm 95Ka'nu Culture - Adrift at Sea Adrift at Sea, Catalina Channel BY AL CHING n the darkness we awake covered with dew. Quickly rolling up sleeping bags, gathering belongings, as the morning begins with controlled confusion, strained emotions. My body trembles with excitement and concer, my mind sorting out the many small jobs to be completed within the next few minutes before the race. Years of experience has hardened my mind, yet not my nervousness, as | command my body to work quickly, effectively. “Don’t forget to complete and double check the little jobs that could turn into big problems later”, I tell myself. The usual scenario unfolds. Rookies looking nervous, in a state of panic, oblivious to what happened just five seconds ago. Veterans, nervous, tense, quiet, under semi-control. Coaches, with tremendous burdens on their minds, look worried. Every racing problem ever germinated, conceived or thought of usually surfaces about now. A psychiatrist's paradise. It has always fascinated me, to watch nine grown men prepare for the Catalina 9%Ka'nu Culture - Adrift at Sea Race. Everything needed is stored on the escort boat. A flow of baggage which, to the dismay of the skipper, never seems to end, as supplies, first strewn under foot are gradually tucked away into every nook and cranny. Somehow each item finds a home. Coaching high strung athletes, whilst crowded into a small boat, is a credit to all coaches. The biggest problem is the intense audio stimuli. No one uses a normal voice. Everyone yells. No wonder skippers can become intimidated. The ocean distorts sounds within a few feet. Motor, wind and waves finish off whatever communication is left, hence the origin of "the yell". Paddlers yell from start to finish. Sometimes I yell just to stop all others from yelling. Then after a few seconds of quict, it all begins anew. After the race, teams often gather together in a crowded bar. You can’t hear yourself think, much less the one you're listening to. You nod and smile a lot and pretend you heard whatever is said. If paddlers haven't lost their voices after racing, they're guaranteed to lose them here at the bar. As the race begins, our motor boat, loaned by a friend, maneuvers through chop and spray, carrying three relief paddlers and belongings. We crash wildly through wakes left behind by boats ahead. After only one changeover, we hit a large wake that comes over the side. Water drenches the motor compartment. Instantly the motor quits — never to start again. After several minutes trying to start it, another boat picks up the crew. The relief paddlers leave, taking as much food, water and other necessities as they can carry. Hoping to get underway soon, I designate an assistant to stay with me. Drifting in silence, we watch the last of the outriggers disappear over the horizon. Optimistically, we survey our chances of an early rescue. We have plenty food and water, It is early Saturday morning and we are in the main traffic lane to and from Catalina. No problem bradduh. An hour later, we are towed back to Catalina. Things are looking good. A mechanic dries the ignition and the engine starts! Anxiously we speed back to find the pack. As we draw near, the water is again rough with escort boats and another large wake swamps the motor, killing it for a second time! Exasperated, we watch the pack disappear. The hours drag by. Several passing boats are reluctant to tow us. Instead they reassure us that they will call Vessel Assist. By late afternoon, my assistant departs with my blessing, when a boat offers one of us a ride but not a tow. What does he expect me to do, abandon ship? As the sun sets, the first small fear creeps into my mind, but a full moon lights up the ocean and I am reassured. The wind picks up and a fairly large swell crashes into the rear of the boat jolting me alert. Immediately | start bailing, knowing more swells are sure to come.Ka'nu Culture - Adrift at Sea Fear fills my thoughts and I plan for several survival situations. Gathering small plastic bags, filling them with food and water, I don a life preserver for safety and warmth, The bags are next to my feet in case the boat sinks quickly. More swells bring water into the rear, but the interval between is long enough to bail out what comes in. Knowing I won't be able to keep up if swells become more frequent, | re-assess the scene and notice the rudder and prop is dragging, steering the boat down wind, down swell. Swells are entering from the rear, the low side. Quickly tilting the rudder and prop out of the water I troll a life jacket on a long line from the bow. This causes the boat to spin around facing the oncoming wind and swells. The high bow and attentive bailing prevents most of the swells from filling up the boat. Drifting well south of the main traffic my boat is difficult to spot. Hours later a search boat finds me a little worn out, but safe and offers a welcome tow. In my enthusiasm I accept without asking where. After several hours, I discover that we are headed for Dana Point, much farther south than my intended destination of Newport - and our speed is little faster than turtle pace. Impatience and cold finally get the best of me. Out of curiosity, I walk over to the ignition and turn the key. With a roar the motor starts up. Dancing and screaming | run it for five minutes - testing for... I don't know what. Squinting into the dark | calculate by blinking shore lights - maybe five miles from shore and slightly north of Dana Point. The wind is blowing towards land. Onshore. Good! If the motor quits again at least I won't be blown back to Catalina. I make a momentous decision. Trying not to appear ungrateful, I yell to the skipper to cut me loose. At first he freaks out, ranting against the wind. 1 say nothing. Then he argues but only half heartedly. He looks tired. I am tired too, Reluctantly he casts me off and we wave good-bye in the dark. Pushing the control stick forward | race several miles north to Newport carefully avoiding kelp beds and swells that could kill the motor. Eyes straining in the head wind and ears tuned to every pop of the engine, | move fast in the darkness, dodging real and imagined underwater forms. Entering Newport Harbor, J can begin to relax and even manage a smile. Finally! Home at last! Docking the boat, | call to tell my wife I am safe. All day, frantically, she has called everyone from Race Commissioner to Harbor Patrol, who reassured her that | was picked up by a vessel hours ago. Resting for a moment, | stare at the boat now riding quietly at anchor. Emotion floods over me as | recall what has happened since 5:30am. In the moonlight I look at my digital watch. It reads: “sUN 10.15 PM”Ka'nu Cuteure - Technique Technique and Style Solo or team ~ Dynamic and rigid comparisons ~Leg work and more BY STEVE WEST, MAUI KJELDSEN PHOTOS STEVE WEST, SUE NEIL, DAPHNE HOUGHARD lympic paddle sports have had millions of dollars spent on research at the highest scientific levels. Biomechanics, hydrodynamics and aerodynamics are all major considerations. These are monitored and analysed producing graphs and charts to show optimum requirements of craft, paddle and paddler, which ultimately provide clues to an ideal stoke technique as applied to any given Olympic paddle craft. Whilst we may define a particular paddling technique best for any given paddle craft, we must be aware that there is no one style that is best for all paddlers. Technique is essentially a defined how to. Style is inherent to (and often limited by) the biomechanical and physiological make-up of the paddler. What suits the individual best, is what tends to work best. Importantly, in making comparisons with a sport such as Olympic canoeing, we must never be misled by the fact that this discipline is essentially flat water oriented and therefore much easier to analyse and to establish a definitive paddling technique. On the other hand, outrigger canoe paddling is concerned with two disciplines, flat water sprint racing and open ocean paddling which is associated with any number of extremes of wind, wave and tide action. How do you come up with a defined paddling technique for each of these extremes? Rough water paddling dictates, through constant irregularities of the ocean environment, that to some degree, each stroke is marginally and sometimes grossly different to account for constantly changing conditions. Paddle a solo canoe in open ocean conditions on a craft without a rudder and you will need to apply a wide range of paddle strokes. Whilst flat water sprint racing technique may be easier to define, we need be careful not to compartmentalise this technique, believing it to be applicable also to rough water ocean paddling. Flat water sprint racing is practiced in a relatively stable environment, where even adverse wind and currents tend to be avoided, whilst the open ocean is anything but stable. In this article are some thought-provoking ideas to ponder and some pointers on technique and style, related to solo and team cance paddling. 9Ka'nu Cultare ~ Technique Technique ~ the Eternal Quest for Perfection At this stage in the development of outrigger canoe paddling, we do not have the money to invest in a full scale scientific thesis of the sport. For the time being it seems the best option is to use what has been learned from similar disciplines which have been subject to vast amounts of research and expenditure. To do this we need to view the sport in a new light and develop a preoccupation with Physics and Biology, the two major relevant sciences. Balanced with this, we need to rely on what we can learn and already know from those who have paddled outrigger canoes and been around the sport long enough to know what works. At race meetings throughout the Pacific. many different styles of paddling can be seen and recorded through photographs of individuals and crews. Moments become frozen in time. such as this image of Courtney Seto from Outrigger Canoe Club Hawaii. photographed at the Hamilton Island Cup. Australia. Studying images such as this provides a clear mental picture of perfect paddling biomechanics. Extended and poised for another stroke. the paddler applies efficient technique. Knowledge of the technical requirements combine with biomechanical skill and ability. blending to make a perfect paddling picture. 100Ka'nu Culture - Technique Technique and its analysis is an intellectual process that demands complex thought processes. In order to become a technically advanced paddler, you need to apply yourself to consider just what makes for efficient paddling. Facts without thought can be dangerous and misleading. If someone has told you to paddle in a certain way, with no explanation or reason given, then you have no knowledge as to why you are doing it. This often makes you less inclined to continue doing it. On the other hand if you are informed as to why a certain action will have an effect on canoe speed or paddling efficiency, your understanding will motivate you to use that technique. Canoe and kayak paddling are fundamentally science based pastimes concerned with the laws of leverage (relating directly to the paddler) coupled with hydrodynamics (relating to the canoe ™ and paddle and the effects of their interaction with the water). Also, to some degree, aerodynamics plays a part in relation to paddler, canoe, paddle and how the air (wind) affects all three. Leverage itself is a complex subject. One of the things that makes efficient and consistent canoe paddling technique so challenging is that (unlike rowing which uses a fixed oarlock so the point of rotation of the oar is fixed) managing a loKa'nu Culeure - Technique Your aim is to anchor the blade as soon as it enters the water. This can only be achieved by driving powerfully downwards with the top arm. followed, a split second after this. by an equally powerful pull with the lower arm. Do not push forward with the top arm as this radically angles the blade prematurely past vertical. Once the blade is vertical. it presents the largest surface area to the water and has the greatest potential to be effective, but requires maximum muscle power. A powerful initial downwards entry provides the inertia needed to pull past this most demanding phase of the stroke. canoe paddle is subject to gross inconsistencies created by the paddler. These inconsistencies relate to the grip on the paddle shifting and to biomechanical movement and control of the paddler’s entire body during each and every stroke. Needless to say, establishing a style which is most efficient and ruthlessly consistent for you, in any given paddling condition, is paramount and only achieveable with practice, practice, practice. Provided of course you are practising sound paddling technique to begin with. 102Ka'nu Culture - Technique Employing incorrect technique has obvious downsides. These become clearly apparent through poor canoe speed, a tendency to fatigue quickly and an inability to keep in time with other paddlers. Less obviously, and even more importantly, you need to understand that canoe paddling will, if practised enough, mould or sculpture body shape via muscle growth and definition. Incorrect technique over time, will develop incorrect muscle groups and can lead to injury. In this regard video recordings of your paddling technique are most beneficial, providing one of the fastest means of improving technique. Detailed analysis can be made of the way in which you apply yourself and individual nuances (your style) can be examined, encouraged or criticised then reapplied, filmed and re-analysed. Once good technique is established, it pays to watch that video many times over so you can re-run those images in your head as you paddle - creatively visualising an efficient technique. & Paddling technique involves hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, biomechanics and physics (leverage, force, resistance etc) & Canoe racing is founded upon certain scientific principles first being understood and then put into practice. & Understanding (intellectualising) paddling technique and style is essential to nurturing excellence. Canoe racing is more than physical. A Practise good technique from the beginning as the benefits outweigh reliance on strength and stamina, A Good technique equals efficiency. Efficiency equals conservation of energy and increased endurance. A Think through your unique way to better paddling - remain alert, be aware and learn what works for you.Ka'nu Culture - Technique Technique and Personal Style Ina rapidly changing sport with new paddle shapes, canoe designs and concepts, increasingly demanding races and levels of competition, the outrigger canoe racing paddler is required to be increasingly concerned with first determining and then perfecting a personal paddling style to fit in with good paddling technique. Style is personal because of the variances that exist between bodies in regard to weight, height, arm span, torso length, leg length and so on, dictate an individual style that is most efficient to each individual. Ultimately, each one of us is unique. If we can think of ourselves as machines providing power to drive canoes through the water, each paddler is essentially a different engine type, based on the same principles. Biomechanically, we all operate in a more or less similar fashion, but “more or less” means a lot in regard to the different ways we apply and move our bodies to create the most efficient pulling of the canoe up to the blade. A Technique is a defined “how to”. A Style is a personal quality relating to individual physiology and biomechanics. A Find a balance between style and technique which suits your individual and unique make up. Solo Versus Six Person Canoe Technique What has become apparent, is that there is a need to address the differences in stroke technique applied to the two principle outrigger canoe racing craft; six and solo person canoes. Added to this, there is the complication of whether the solo canoe is paddled with or without rudder which in itself creates a whole new level of technical skill to control direction. Events such as the ipcF World Sprint Titles require solo canoes to be paddled without the use of rudders, as do most of the races held in French Polynesia, whilst some countries are opting at National Championship level, such as New Zealand, to demand that rudders are not permitted. The point of this is twofold. One is based on perpetuating tradition and the other based on the need to make events technically more difficult to extend paddlers and determine overall canoe paddling skills of the individual. Six person canoe paddling and solo outrigger canoe paddling (with or without rudder) dictate a variance of the forward paddle stroke technique and individual style required.Stace Yourself ‘Whilst strong legs are essential, they are little use if you cannot effectively brace yourself in the seat. Being unable to lock-in and drive the energy down into the canoe is essential. Here are two methods used to brace yourself in the seat. Forcing the legs apart so that your knees press against the sides of the canoe hull. This is difficult to achieve for any length of time. Sit at an angle so as you are facing marginally outwards between five and ten degrees away from the side you are paddling on. This has the effect of pushing the upper part of your bottom against the canoe huil, whilst on the non-paddling side your thigh can brace up against the hull. (Padding on the inside of the canoe can prevent chaffing,) This method also prevents the paddler from over-rotating and as a result pulling too far back during the power phase of the stroke - a common problem. = a : : On the left. the paddler is seated “square” on the seat and is bracing herself by forcing both legs apart and against the canoe hull. j On the right. the paddler has altered position to be sitting “angled” } on the seat. This provides greater } ¢ support from both sides of the canoe against outer leg and bottom. Greater forward reach can also be achieved without S havingto = hyperextend. 105,Avply Yourself Just prior to entering the blade (set-up phase) avold pushing your top arm forward from the shoulder as this leads to taking air down with the blade, often heard as a “plopping” sound. Avoid it also once the blade is in the water as it is ineffectual in terms of generating Power and causes the blade to angle backwards prematurely. A straight, high, top arm ‘will help prevent this, Straight and high top arm action, poised to drive doumnwards. The first active motion or drive that you make in order for the blade to contact the water originates from the top arm, driving downwards to bury the blade deep to anchor in the water. This is followed by the lower arm pulling using primarily, but not exclusively, the upper muscles of the back, and the smaller muscles of the arm ~ tricep, bicep, forearm. Keep your body over the top of the paddle not behind it, so you can apply your body weight to the downwards drive. Your lower arm should have @ marginal amount of elbow bend, so that you can more effectively use all the muscles of your arm. Over extension prevents this. Over-rotation of the torso must also be avoided as this encourages the canoe to be pulled downwards and sideways as you unwind. The goal is to pull yourself and the canoe forwards up to the blade in a motion which can be likened to pole vaulting. Drive downwards and marginally across the body with the top arm as the blade travels through the stroke. This downwards drive remains powerful for the duration of the stroke, progressively increasing throughout its length, as does the pull from the lower arm. In a team canoe, the stroke is a short one — long out in front and short pull- back, so you exit the blade at the hip or waist. Solo cance paddling demands longer blade travel with follow-through past the hip. Swing back into position (recovery phase) using a relaxed, high, upper arm action. The inertia (movement) that is created in this swinging back motion can then be continued smoothly into the downward drive to anchor the blade in the next stroke. 106Ka'nu C alture - Technique Solo Canoe Paddling Technique BY MAU! KJELDSEN, STEVE WEST Introduction Efficient solo outrigger canoe paddling technique is much the same as it is for a team canoe with emphasis on achieving good canoe run. This is really more of an art than a teachable technique as it requires a feel for the water, achieveable only after lots of time spent in the canoe trying to make the canoe run as smoothly as possible. The aim is for a long, forward-reaching stroke with follow-through, rather than for an abrupt ending of the stroke with consequent disruption to the smooth flow of water past the canoe. This is the essential difference in paddling technique between the two craft. Watch any accomplished solo canoe paddler and you will notice how the paddle, is pulled right through the entire potential length of stroke in the water, so that it goes way past the hip. This means a reliance not only on pull but also on an element of push when the blade travels backwards past the hip. Six person canoe paddling technique maintains that you begin to exit the blade as it blade reaches the hip. Therefore, six person paddling technique consists of a shorter power phase of stroke — the pull element — whilst solo technique requires a longer stroke. This longer stroke is separated into two distinct parts beginning with pulling and then transferring into a pushing action as the blade passes the vertical position and moves past the knee and hip. A Develop a feel for the water and the way in which your craft interacts with it. & Solo canoes require a long reach out front, with puil and push elements requiring much longer blade travel, terminating beyond the hip or waist. & Team canoes rely upon a long reach with relatively short pull back, exiting at the hip or waist area. Paddles The right paddle for solo canoe paddling as a general rule, should be slightly shorter than the one you use in a team canoe as you are sitting lower to the water. Additionally, because speed of a solo canoe is nearly always slower than a team canoe, it is harder to turn a longer paddle over as fast. The length of paddle will also depend on what type of race you are doing, distance or sprint. For distance races, a shorter length paddle is preferable providing more leverage in relation to the centre of resistance, so as there is less strain on muscles with each stroke, allowing you to paddle farther with less effort and fatigue.Ka'na Culture - Technique The same theory applies to blade area and angle. As a general rule, larger blade area with less angle is better suited for sprint racing, whilst smaller blade areas with greater blade offset angles are better suited for long distance work. Over short (500-1000m) sprint courses you do not want the blade to slip during the stroke, remaining firmly anchored in the water. Whereas in distance paddling, if your paddle catches without offering any slippage, you will blow out and fatigue too soon. A revealing and valuable summary defining some of the paddle characteristics you need to consider in order to be well prepared for both sprint and distance paddling. We can also assume that the same rules apply to sprint and distance races for team canoes. Conserving energy over a distance is essential and Maui's observation of allowing the paddle to have some slippage as against having minimal or no slippage for flat water sprint races is an interesting concept. The potential stroke rate (the number of strokes made over a one minute period), as Maui has pointed out, is restricted or enhanced by blade area and paddle length and the relative speed of the canoe being paddled. Wider blade areas that also have a long shaft have less potential for high stroke rates, whilst narrower blade areas and shorter shafted paddles do. Defining a narrow or a wide blade is in the area of two inches based on a standard of nine inches. Therefore a ten inch blade would be considered wide, whilst eight inches would be considered narrow.Ka'nu Cutture - Lechnique q' Either extreme of these widths would make these paddles more definitive in their application, A paddle of nine inches could be considered all-round and therefore useable for all conditions — but not necessarily ideal. Be Left, an example of ttvo carbon-blades of similar design but quite different size. The width of blade not only dictates different applications be it for marathon or sprint paddling, but caters also for the biomechanical and physiological make-up of the individual. Smaller, lightweight paddlers and in BN particular women and juniors, will fi tend to favour smaller blade areas, BS whilst larger individuals will tend to favour larger blade areas, This is the BS “nature of things. & Relative speed of a solo canoe is less than that of a team canoe, which means that a slower stroke rate can be expected, Potential stroke rate is relative to canoe speed. Fast canoe, fast potential rate. Shorter paddle lengths (total length of shaft and blade) provide greater leverage in relation to their centre of resistance and are therefore easier to use over extended distances and times. A Shorter paddle lengths can achieve higher stroke rates. A Solo canoes require shorter paddle lengths due to low seat positions. 4 Team canoes require longer paddle lengths due to high seat position. a a >> Sprints: Longer shaft, larger blade area and less augle relative to shaft. Distance: Shorter shaft, smaller blade area and greater angle relative to shaft. Rough Water Paddling To become an accomplished open ocean solo canoe paddler you simply have to put in the sea time. There is no better teacher than the ocean itself. It takes time and practice to get comfortable in swells and chop and to be able to feel or read the ocean. Just get out there and play until you learn to steer and link up waves - tovKa'nu Culture ~ Technique allowing you to ride longer and more efficiently, which is crucial in longer down wind and swell races. The idea is not to push into the waves but to put the nose of the canoe in the right troughs so the waves will pick you up. When paddling into the wind, it is best to increase your stroke rate so that when pounding into head seas you are not being slowed too much or even stopped by the effect of breaking seas or wind resistance. Play is the best means to better technique. Generally speaking paddlers do not play enough, taking it all too seriously and focusing purely on rigorous training schedules. Go and paddle for the hell of it! Frolic with abandonment like some wild aquatic mutation, Learn your skills with a smile rather than a grimace. You will learn heaps testing your gear and yourself to the limits by simply having fin in the ocean. And don’t be afraid to fall off. Learn from Mother Ocean how best to work with and not against the energies out there. A Increase your stroke rate when paddling into the wind and sea to prevent the canoe stalling. Unlike team canoes, solo canoes have minimal inertia due to their lightweight construction. Steering a Solo Canoe Without Rudder Steering a solo outrigger without rudder is not as easy as a good paddler can make it look. But it is a skill well worth learning, both for the satisfaction of mastering a skill thousands of years old and because there are a number of places and races where canoes with rudders are not allowed; all races in French Polynesia, the irc World Sprints and a number of races in New Zealand. The most important thing in steering both a team canoe and a solo is anticipation. Being able to anticipate the swing of the canoe from one direction to another. To start correcting or stopping the swing before it happens is crucial. If the bow of the canoe is allowed to swing too far before being corrected, it is much harder to stop the swing and you end up zig-zagging all over the ocean. Ina solo canoe, you have to do all your steering by paddling, as opposed to a six person canoc,where you have five others paddling to keep the canoe moving forward, giving the steerer the option of using the paddle as a rudder. Changing sides whilst paddling to stop the swing, must be done on time. The angle of your stroke and your blade during the stroke can be used to compensate for the tendency of the nose of the canoe to want to swing from side to side as you change paddling sides. It is important to always take strong, powerful strokes. Soft strokes will not have as much effect and corrections will take more strokes. In some conditions, you will be simply overpowered by the wind or current if you do not keep the pressure on 0Ka'nu Culture - Technique 4 each stroke because you are tired or indecisive. Paddling into the wind or current is the easiest as far as steering is concerned as most canoes tend to “weathercock” or want to point into the wind. Conversely, paddling down wind, is more difficult to keep control, as the wind or current from behind tends to catch the back of the canoe, trying to swing it around. Once again it is important to keep the power on each stroke, keeping the canoe moving faster than the wind or current. This maintains control of the situation rather than letting the elements control you. Aside wind is the most difficult because of the tendency of the canoe to turn into the wind. Only strong, decisive, powerful strokes are going to be effective in overpowering this tendency. Usually you will end up taking twice as many or more strokes on the windward side than on the lee side. Sometimes, if the wind is especially strong say 15 knots plus, you may have to paddle on that side almost exclusively! At times like this, if you slack off and take soft strokes because you are fatigued, you will lose it and end up working twice as hard to bring the canoe back on course. Like everything, lots of time practising is necessary to master the art of paddling a solo canoe without a rudder. With perseverance the skills required will become second nature. It is immensely satisfying and enjoyable to be in control of your canoe in a variety of conditions ~ the way people of the Pacific have done for eons. I trust that these skills are never lost. A Anticipation is crucial. & Angle your stroke and blade to control direction. A When steering take strong, decisive strokes. The Importance of Leg Work BY STEVE WEST & Solo canoe design dictates that we sit much lower to the water and that both legs are equally outstretched at a height only marginally below that of the seat. A Six person canoes dictate sitting considerably higher relative to our feet and to the water level. In this position it is part of the forward paddling technique to have the leg on the paddling side near straight with the other leg bent. When considering technique, the two canoe types - solo and six person - have major significant differences in seating height and leg position. Biomechanically this implies different forces at play within the two craft. When scated in a solo canoe with or without rudder peddles, your legs are mKa'na Culture ~ Technique outstretched and feet are at approximately the same height as your butt. Any weight or energy transference travels from the paddle along the arms to this area, along the legs and terminates at the soles of the feet against the foot peddles or bulkhead. However, the vast majority of energy transference created during the power phase of the stroke terminates in the paddler’s seat, explaining why solo canoe paddlers (especially novices) who paddle on flat-topped, as opposed to moulded seats, often get sore in that area, even numb legs, on the ama side. The butt not only has to cope with body weight, but also with most of the energy transfer which is causing the canoe to move and which also has the effect of driving the paddler’s body downwards and marginally forwards. In the case of the six person canoe, paddler body weight and the energy transference along the paddle, down the arms to the seat is dissipated in greater amounts down the legs to the feet and out to the canoe. Therefore, the legs play an important (often overlooked) role in six person canoe paddling. The feet must have good traction and be firmly braced so energy transfer to the canoe is maintained and not wasted, This has been increasingly acknowledged and many paddlers’ training now involves leg work (bike riding or running) to strengthen leg muscles which are essential in ensuring that the energy in pulling the canoe up to blade is transferred to the canoe hull via the seat and legs. Legs should be proportionally as strong and fit as the upper body. Not to say the legs have to be big as this will only add additional body weight which is not always desirable. Weak legs can be the weak link between upper torso strength, powerful technique and energy transference to the canoe, so do not forget to include them in training, With both legs stretched out and feet and seat at stmifar heights, most of the paddler's energy transfer from blade to body. terminates in the butt. Unfike team canoes in which. because of increased seat height and differing leg positions. a greater percentage of the energy is transferred along the fegs into the canoe — an essential Jink in driving the canoe forwards efficiently, m2Ka'nu Culture - Technique In the case of solo outrigger canoes, the seat arca is the principle place of energy transfer to the canoe, so a comfortable, firm seating arrangement is paramount and something, which is becoming more of a standard, rather than luxury item now. A moulded seat provides improved lumbar support and also greater sensitivity for the canoe below and therefore control. Marginally raised side edges help to prevent being edged off the seat into the water in choppy, beam-on water. With this feature the paddler can also displace the body weight to the off-side to “fly” the ama with added security which a raised edge gives. A raised rear edge prevents slipping backwards on the seat. In combination with the force which pushes down on the body, energy is contained and transfers directly into driving the canoe forward, as any movement or slippage backwards results in dissipating power. With legs marginally outstretched in the solo canoe, it would be easy to draw the conclusion that they do not play as vital a role as they do in six person canoe paddling. However, you can use your legs to good effect when paddling your solo canoe by using a dynamic movement to thrust the craft forwards. With bent knees (bent enough to fit a clenched fist undemeath) it is possible to bend both ua