Pwo Ceremony

Getting the right wood

As a learning facility and a roof to protect the canoes, the right types of logs that takes into account its overall strength and durability are harvested.
Straight logs are selected and fell for all parts of the canoe house. Immediately after felling logs, they have to be debarked and in most cases soaked in the salt water for natural protection.

Shaping the logs

After the logs have been soaked in salt water, the master builder has to try and get each logs as straight as he could. This requires using hand tools such as the adze. This process is required as in some cases, the cross beams must connect perfectly especially if the connections are sitting on top of one of the main posts. Thus, a straight line is drawn on the curvature side of the log and then slowly carved away. The adze tools that are used today, unlike the original shell blades are now made from vehicle springs that are sharpened and lashed to a handle to allow of better precision when carving.

Cross beams

As stated, the life of a seafearing person starts early. As early as 3 years old. The young boy is brought to the canoe house to be with the elders. As they grow older, they begin hearing the stories and observing the men at work. At some point, the youngster is given simple tasks including handling tools appropriately.
These young boys are learning how to handle tools by carving out a beam. It is possible that the beam they are working on might never be used but the idea is that they practice their skills. In this culture, the elders know that the only way these skills can be transferred is by allowing the young to handle them even if they make mistakes.

Lashing posts

Getting bigger logs for the post is important for the canoe house. Lashing them strong is even more critical. It normally take more than just one person to do the lashing. Furthermore, the lashing of important canoe house beams must be watched carefully by elders who coached the younger person and ensures he is doing the right type of lashing.

Placing upper beams

Once the posts are secure, the builders can start to place the upper beams to construct the canoe house. Lashing them can be an individual task.

Collecting thatch materials

Several materials can be collected for thatch roof, however, the easiest and most available is the coconut leafs. Here again, is the idea of given the simple tasks to the younger kids who are learning these skills from very young age. Here, the young kids will collect the coconut leafs and take them to the elders who will weave them as they observe. In so doing, the kids are picking up the skills and at some point will start weaving the themselves.

Weaving thatch roofs

Once the structure is in place, the community gets involved in weaving thatch roofs. Men would climb coconut trees, pick the fruits, and cut few leafs. The coconut fruits are given to the weavers.

Ready woven leaves

Once the thatch roofs are done, they are place underneath the structure for easy access. This is so that when the thatching takes place, it is easy for those throwing the thatch to just pull out from underneath the structure.

Roofing

When canoe house's main structure is in place, it will then be ready for roofing. Young men will climb the structure to start tying thatches to the beams. This is an easy task for the younger people to do thus, they are given the responsibility to climb the structure and thatch it up. It is also normal practice to place the more experienced ones at the end of the structure to ensure the ends are lined up nicely.

Drying coconut fiber

After washing, the fiber are then put out under the sun to be dried. One of the reason it is important to dry the fiber is because it makes it easier to work with and make the ropes of various sizes to lash our canoes, houses, and sails. The sennit ropes are also critical tools to take on long voyages as a safety tool.

Rope making

The fibers are then joined and rolled on ones thigh to make the coconut sennit rope.This is a skill that is often learned at the very young age. In most cases, the left over fibers are given to the young boys to learn and later on will do better to make the important ropes.

The fiber are pulled off by stands and joined to make coconut fiber robes that will be used for the canoe house or lashing the canoe itself.

Coconut ropes as local nail

After reaching 100 fathom, they are rolled up in bundles and hung up in the canoe houses for use when needed. These ropes are used for canoe building, house building, and just about anything necessary for repairs. In many ways, the coconut ropes are equivalent to strong permanent glues

Lashing outrigger

Here the young apprentices are learning to connect the outrigger piece to the main canoe structure via the outrigger arms.

Young apprentices lashing a bigger outrigger arm that will be use on a voyaging canoe.

Umw, the underground oven

One the new apprentice has learned all the needed skills and knowledge from the canoe house and ready to be initiated. His master will then announced for his to be "pwo". The pwo ritual community engagement begins with the preparation of the underground cooking oven known as umw. The women will go harvest the best of their sweet taro and breadfruit are harvested to be placed in the umw.

Covering bowl with payment tribute

The bowl is covered with lava lava given as form of payment of knowledge given to each student by the teacher.

Bracelet "Rou Rou"

The bracelet made from young coconut palm leave to be tied on the wrist of each student to be initiated. A small herbal medicine wrapped in a piece of cloth also accompanied the palm leafs bracelet. Both items are put on with specific chants to empower the items as protection charms.

Herbal medicine for protection

The Grand Master will get young coconuts tipped a prepared herbal medicine and give to each student to drink for protection.

"Roras" wrapping students

Each student is given a specially woven cloth to tie around his waste indicating the ceremony to begin.

Pay respect

To show respect to the sacred bowl now containing food for all traditional schools of navigation. The initiator must first bless it all the while chanting a special chant to protect himself. The first offering of a young coconut is open.

Shares for all traditional schools of navigation

Before any content of the bowl is shared . The Grand Master will first take out a bail for the new initiates. He will then start to take the shares of each of the schools of navigation.

Chosen apprentices

After apprentices have gone through series of training including learning names of stars and other wayfinding methods, and the Master Navigator is satisfied, he will select his new initiates.