All photos by Joseph W. Carnwath (1968)
Image 1: Bemar Pacifico takes the first swing at the tree that would become the main hull of the canoe.
Image 2: Bemar Pacifico.
Image 3: (left to right) Kalisto, Ignatio, Emetario, Krispin, Santos, Samuel, Bemar.
Image 4: (left to right) Ignatio, Emetario, Santos.
Image 5: (left to right) Joe Nestor, Salvador, Bemar, Johnny, Kalisto.
Image 6: Kalisto, Johnny.
Image 7: (left to right) Ignatio, Emetario, Krispin, Santos, Bemar.
Image 8: (left to right) Salvador, Kintoki, Bemar, Emetario.
Image 9: (left to right) George, Ignatio, Bemar.
Image 10: George, Joe Nestor.
Image 11: George.
Image 12: George, Bemar.
Image 13: Bemar.
Image 14: Bemar, George.
Image 15: George, Ignatio, Bemar.
Image 16: Job and Kintoki use large adzes called "torotoro" (with silent "o" in the end) to give the exterior of the canoe its rough shape. Smaller adzes called "tarae" are used in later stages of the construction (see Image 37).
Image 17: 9 in photo. Working (left to right): Kintaro, Johnny, Abel, Salvador.
Image 18: Kintoki, Johnny, Abel, Salvador.
Image 19: An axe (yahis) is used to taper the ends of the canoe (pictured: Salvador).
Image 20: Joe.
Image 21: George.
Image 22: Bemar, George, Ignatio.
Image 23: 9 in photo. Working (left to right): ?, Bemar, Joe.
Image 24: Joe.
Image 25: Kintoki, Ignatio.
Image 26: Kalisto, Bemar.
Image 27: Bemar, Joe Carnwath, Kintoki.
Image 28: Johnny, ? , George.
Image 29. Once the canoe is hollowed out, all men (and even young boys) help to drag it out of the forest. Pictured (left to right): Santos, George, Ignatio, Sylvester, Sam.
Image 30: Salvador, Abel, Ignatio, Sylvester, Sam, Paul, John, Isaac. (Paul Berry was another American Peace Corps volunteer on the island at the time. Joe and Paul arrived on Sonsorol together in 1967, but Paul left after after a few months.)
Image 31. While dragging the canoe out of the forest, the rope snaps so that everyone falls over, causing much laughter. Pictured (left to right): Salvador, Joe, Job, Emetario.
Image 32: Bemar, Joe Nestor, Job (?).
Image 33: ?.
Image 34. The canoe is loaded onto old railway tracks left over from the Japanese occupation during World War II, which facilitates the further transportation into the village. Pictured (front to back): Santos, Sylvester, Ignatio.
Image 35: Joe, Bemar.
Image 36: Joe, Bemar, Kalisto.
Image 37: Rita (Bemar's wife), Bemar, Joe. Bemar and Joe use small adzes called "tarae" to give the interior of the canoe its final shape. There are two types of tarae: ones with flat edges that are primarily used for flat surfaces on the exterior of the canoe and ones with curved edges (shown here) that are used primarily used for the interior. Tarae with curved edges are called "tarae ri hatubu" (with a silent "u" on the end). Tarae with flat edges are called "tarae ri hasanu," meaning "for carving flat surfaces".
Image 38: Joe, Rita, Bemar. On the right side of the picture a "poglu" (silent "u") can be seen hanging from the side of the canoe. It will later be tied on top of the main hull to form the tip of the sailing canoe. This is where the triangular sail attaches to the canoe.
Image 39: Krispin Haseparuya making rope ("haroharo") out of coconut fiber.
Image 40: Emetario assembles canoe parts. The "raato" (silent "o") is the carved piece of wood with a hole on one end that Emetario is connecting to the "hiyao" (the long, round stick). The two smaller rods seen in this picture are called "hapisse."
Image 41: For "glani hiyao" (the day on which all of the parts of the canoe are assembled), the men gather in the Men's House (Fani Damwagle). Pictured (left to right): Emetario, ? , Krispin, Bemar, Salvador, Kalisto (?), Abel, Joe. (John in back.)
Image 42: Krispin, Bemar. The two arched pieces of wood in the bottom right of the picture are the "wariyengi" (with silent "i" on the end) and the "reniyeri sapirifao".
Image 43. Joe Carnwath with the canoe.