Lisi-canoe of Malaita
Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2016 9:02 pm
Malaita is the largest island of the Malaita Province in Solomon Islands.
The lisi is the ordimarv canoe for overseas travel. Formerly the men of Malaite and Sa'a were formed into groups, each of which had its allotted tasks, and each group owned and manned a canoe for journeys overseas; the canoe was named alter the group. There was no such division of the men at Malaite, but every chief had his overseas canoe. There was a ceremony to make the lisi available for the carriage of women.The lisi is described as follows:
Reported as a class of large, plank-built canoes originating in the south-eastern part of the archipelago, notably on San Cristobal, Ulawa, Malaita, and Guadalcanal. Characterized by raised washstrakes at each end and usually by tall end pieces of roughly the same height. Most are seagoing and used in trading and conducting official visit to neighboring islands. Built up from 1-2 bottom planks. There is a keel which is larger and in two parts. The keel is made of hard red wood. The planks or strakes are made of a less hard wood light yellow color.The keel is beveled to fit the garboad strakes.
On the larger canoes, keel added to beveled garboard strakes; 2-3 beveled strakes form the sides, sewn on. A V-shaped erection of planks, is set up on each end to keep out the water. Single-piece ribs, lashed to eyed cleats, also form the support for seats. Special gunwales of palm woodprotect top strake from wear by the paddles. Rounded bottom, soft turn of the bilges. Ends curve up from below the waterline, terminating in tall, plank end pieces: inboard, the end pieces form the washstrakes and continue for a short distance toward the middle : Canoes that remain in sheltered waters generally lack end pieces. Those belonging to chiefs are inlaid with several thousand pieces of cone shell and decorated with tassels and nautilus shells; and in order to collect money for its construction, a specially decorated canoe is sent on a fund-raising mission. Paddles have long, narrow blades and a crutch grip; steered with longer paddle from a seat on the gunwale. Length 12,8m, beam 1.5m, depth 0.9m.
Solomon Islanders 1956;3d;SG87;1972;45c;SG218;2012;9,0d;9,0d;SG?
Sources: A. Haddon, J. Hornell: Canoes of Oceania.1937.Volume II. Dictionary of the world’s Watercraft from Aak to Zumbra. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The lisi is the ordimarv canoe for overseas travel. Formerly the men of Malaite and Sa'a were formed into groups, each of which had its allotted tasks, and each group owned and manned a canoe for journeys overseas; the canoe was named alter the group. There was no such division of the men at Malaite, but every chief had his overseas canoe. There was a ceremony to make the lisi available for the carriage of women.The lisi is described as follows:
Reported as a class of large, plank-built canoes originating in the south-eastern part of the archipelago, notably on San Cristobal, Ulawa, Malaita, and Guadalcanal. Characterized by raised washstrakes at each end and usually by tall end pieces of roughly the same height. Most are seagoing and used in trading and conducting official visit to neighboring islands. Built up from 1-2 bottom planks. There is a keel which is larger and in two parts. The keel is made of hard red wood. The planks or strakes are made of a less hard wood light yellow color.The keel is beveled to fit the garboad strakes.
On the larger canoes, keel added to beveled garboard strakes; 2-3 beveled strakes form the sides, sewn on. A V-shaped erection of planks, is set up on each end to keep out the water. Single-piece ribs, lashed to eyed cleats, also form the support for seats. Special gunwales of palm woodprotect top strake from wear by the paddles. Rounded bottom, soft turn of the bilges. Ends curve up from below the waterline, terminating in tall, plank end pieces: inboard, the end pieces form the washstrakes and continue for a short distance toward the middle : Canoes that remain in sheltered waters generally lack end pieces. Those belonging to chiefs are inlaid with several thousand pieces of cone shell and decorated with tassels and nautilus shells; and in order to collect money for its construction, a specially decorated canoe is sent on a fund-raising mission. Paddles have long, narrow blades and a crutch grip; steered with longer paddle from a seat on the gunwale. Length 12,8m, beam 1.5m, depth 0.9m.
Solomon Islanders 1956;3d;SG87;1972;45c;SG218;2012;9,0d;9,0d;SG?
Sources: A. Haddon, J. Hornell: Canoes of Oceania.1937.Volume II. Dictionary of the world’s Watercraft from Aak to Zumbra. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.