page_title: Va'a
section_title: Construction
hierarchical_section_title: Va'a / Construction
caption_attribution_description: English: View Lefagaoali'i village from Safune, Savai'i, Samoa Français&#160;: La vue de village Lefagaoali'i de Safune, l'île de Savai'i Māori: Te papakainga Lefagaoali'i i Savai'i, Hamoa Deutsch: Insicht vom Lefagaoali'i Dorf von Safune, Insel von Savai'i Le nu'u o Lefagaoali'i i le itu saute
context_page_description: Vaʻa is a word in Samoan, Hawaiian and Tahitian which means 'boat', 'canoe' or 'ship'. A larger traditional seagoing vessel for long distance voyages is referred to as vaʻa tele. The term alia is also used for larger vessels in Samoa. The smaller vaʻa used for fishing typically have a float, or outrigger, attached to the main hull for stability. This outrigger part of the canoe is called ama in various Polynesian languages.
  The word is cognate with other Polynesian words such as vaka or the Māori word waka. It is also used to designate the sport of outrigger canoe racing.
context_section_description: A main hull of a vaʻa can be made in one piece, from a hollowed out trunk of a large tree with the ama float attached later. Other types of Polynesian construction include 'sewing' planks of wood together with special cords and ropes, a type of hand made sennit,  important in the material cultures of the people of Oceania.
caption: Typical Vaʻa with outrigger for fishing, Savai'i Island, Samoa.
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