IDNO

P.87224.VH

Description

P.87222.VH - P.87228.VH: Bau island, just off the east coast of Vitilevu. Mostly views of hurricane damage and hurricane aftermath, with collapsed or damaged houses, stripped trees, mats drying on canoes, etc. T.A.G. Strickland, Circa 1936
With two exceptions the canoes featured are takia or velovelo - simple dugout canoes with outriggers, fitted with low baca washstrakes, but no tau or end-deck covers, so incapable of sailing or venturing into rough waters, and meant for use on rivers or lagoons, propelled by poles or paddles. Given that Bau lay in sheltered, shallow coastal waters, there was a fleet of takia there, they being the main means of visiting the Vitilevu mainland, and of fetching provisions and water from there - P.87228.VH features a takia being poled across from the mainland bearing a load of coconuts. The exceptions include the heavier-hulled canoe at centre right of P.87224.VH, which has the stripped down hull of an old waqavakatau or camakau sailing outrigger but is being used inshore as a takia, its end-deck covers and high washstrakes having been removed. Also the canoe at centre left of P.87225.VH, which, though largely obscured by drying mats, is a smallish waqavakatau or camakau sailing canoe, as witnessed by the presence of end-deck covers, a vavada strut running from beside the prow back to the corner of the deck platform, and the blade of an iuli or steering oar jutting out over the vavada from beneath a drying mat. The iron-roofed church at right of P.87224.VH was built in 1877. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Near Viti Levu; Bau Island

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Strickland, Thomas Alfred Gerald

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1936

Collection Name

Von Hugel Collection

Source

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.87222.VH to P.87277.VH were found loose in the Museum’s paper archive envelope, VH1/4/7, which has now been re-numbered C512/.

Related Image: This print or negative appears to be a unique image within the MAA Photograph Collections. [JD 21/12/2011]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Program One. [A. Nadin 2/7/2003]