20 May 2006
Celebrating a new canoe
A canoe in the making
© Greenpeace/ Behring
The new canoe lies not far form the lake’s river. Like a bitten apple, the tree is carved into the form of the future canoe, carefully excavated on the inside. The bark is still there: it will be trimmed at the very last moment, in order to make the wood slick, easier to drag to the water. That’s because every canoe, so light and versatile on the lake, is incredibly heavy out of water.
In order to build it, you not only need a special tree, you also need it to be straight, large enough, and it has to be located at the bank. When logging companies arrive and chop down all the trees (they also prefer those near the water), local people subsequently have a very hard time building canoes. And a canoe is the only way to travel in this region.
With collective pushing and dragging, the canoe is turned upside down to crop out the bark. Then it is turned again on a ‘carpet’ of poles, bound with vines – one, two, three, everybody drags the vine. It is really heavy, but after a while, it moves. Slowly at the beginning, then faster and faster until the canoe is charging along behind us and we have to jump to the side, to avoid being bowled over.
We whoop with joy. Only at this point do I realize that two Kuni men are standing on the canoe, which has been launched like a missile through the branches of the bush. Their skin is painted with white clay, and they carry ceremonial headgear made of cassowary feathers.
This is the Catfish clan’s tradition way of celebrating the launch of a new canoe and welcoming newcomers to the clan. The two Kunis who are running to the water in the canoe are from different clans, and joined the clan through marriage. Their short trip ends in a bath.
- Sergio
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