Ethnobotany of ocean-going canoes in Lau, Fiji

Traditional ocean- going canoes represent the pinnacle of South Pacific craftmanship, and Fijian canoes are among the finest. The special hardwood used by the Fijians for their canoes grows well on the island of Kabara, Fiji where canoe building expertise is centered. Native craftsmen were contracted to construct a canoe at Kabara. Twenty different species of plants were used in the construction of a Fijian "camakau. " Wood was skillfully chosen by the carpenters with material constraints in mind. The glue, rope, and sail were also constructed from native plant materials obtained from Kabara. The importance of the canoe building technology in the Pacific, and the unique flora of Kabara shaped Kabara into an island of strategic influence in the South Pacific.