Va’a alo Bonito Canoe Model First Half 20th century Samoa For deep sea fishing and voyaging between the islands and even to Fiji, several types of large sailing and paddling outrigger canoes were made and used by the Samoans. Only the va’a alo the smallest of these plank built boats survived into the twentieth century. The planks were sewn together and the craft raised on a definite keel. It was employed for bonito fishery. In its lines the va’a alo is the most graceful of all Polynesian canoes. The features of the smaller dugout soatau are there, but refined and sharpened. A long and gentle sheer raises the forward end a few inches higher than the waist and ends in a sharp head hanging over and deeply crescentic cutwater. The lower portion of this crescent forms and angular forefoot. The aft, as in the soatau, runs finely to a point, the upper or decked surface is very slightly sheered. Two or three men would form the crew. This model accurately represents the Samoan classic down to the sennet lashings on the outrigger attachments and the carved ornamentation of an original. It is 27" long and comes with typical scaled paddle. Easily fifty years old this a beautiful echo of the old maritime arts of Samoa. Photos | Oceania Index