Model Boat | walap

This model depicts a most seaworthy vessel from the Marshall Islands with a wooden outrigger and a triangular sail made from woven barkcloth. The triangular sail is typically affixed freely on the mast and is held by two yards that lie on the edges of the hull. The bow of the boat and the tip of the mast are adorned with feathers. There is a platform between the hull and the outrigger with space either for one passenger, to stow goods or to be used as an upper deck for sleeping purposes. According to the collector, the model boat was made by a chief. Unfortunately, it cannot be verified who he was. The model demonstrates the considerable boat building expertise that obtains on the Marshall Islands. Outrigger boats were made from single tree trunks or individual pieces of plank, due to a shortage of wood. The individual pieces would then be lashed together with coconut fibre rope and sealed (caulked) with resin and strips of pandanus leaves. Boats were either made by experienced boat builders or collectively by families or kinfolk, often in special boathouses. The building of boats was accompanied by ritual ceremonies and successful completion was marked by celebrations. While boat building was predominantly a male activity, women were involved in weaving the sails from pandanus leaves. They used undulating, smooth wooden boards as an underlay (see II/1346+1347) in order to be able to work as accurately as possible. Antonie Brandeis also photographically documented the technique of weaving sails. Author: Godwin Kornes, Translation: Timothy Connell