CANOE MAKING ON TOKELAU ISLAND

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aukepalmhof
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CANOE MAKING ON TOKELAU ISLAND

Post by aukepalmhof » Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:20 pm

In1976 Tokelau Islands issued four stamps of which the 1c shows us how a traditional canoe is built on the island.

By this stamp is given: The canoe is made using a method of canoe making quite different from the usual burning and chopping procedure.
The canoe issued by the islanders are made up from specially selected sections of wood from the “kanava” tree. The sections are lashed together with sinnetts made from coconut fibre, when a section of the canoe is damaged it can be easily replaced. Outrigger poles are lashed together on the side of the canoe

The canoe shown on the stamp is a paopao type canoe.

Few varieties of trees grow on the atolls and most of these are unsuitable for canoe building. The kanava (Cordia subcordata) tree in Tokelau grows sufficiently thick to make canoe hulls. It is durable, resistant to water, but heavy and hard, making construction and handling difficult. The kanava is a stumpy tree with twisted trunk which quickly tapers from its broad base. Only the lower section of the tree can be used in the hull which must therefore be built of three or four sections lashed together at the ends. Kanava trees have never been plentiful, and their use has been rigidly controlled in order to preserve the supply. The trees are larger and more numerous on Atafu and have always been demanded as gifts by the people of the southern atolls.
The one paopao seen was made from the wood of the puka tree (Hernandia ovigera) which is straight-grained and light but not as durable as kanava. The outrigger floats of both the large and small canoes are also made of puka.

http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarl ... d2-d3.html
Tokelau Island 1976 1c sg 49a, scott 49. 1990 59c sg187/88 scott?
Attachments
1976-canoe-making-jpg.jpg
1990 Men-s canoe making.jpg
1990 Men-s canoe making (1).jpg

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