Vaka

Vaka is a term Maori of the islands Cook which can mean at the same time tribe (" vaka tangata "), or dugout (" vaka tere "). In the others Polynesian Languages, the term also exists with an identical or close direction, Va' has (tahitien), waka (Maori de Nouvelle Zealand), vaka in Wallisian…

" Vaka tangata" (tribe)

In the absolute, the vaka gathers the individuals whose ancestors would have arrived on board the same dugout. The concept is nevertheless more flexible than it does not appear to with it. It is thus possible to be claimed like pertaining to such or such tribe, even if the ancestor of the clan did not form part of the original dugout. The examples abound, one of most known is that of the Kainuku Ariki which make go up their ascent at the time of the Tongaiti, name generally given to the first inhabitants of Rarotonga. In spite of that, they were always recognized like belonging symbolically to the vaka of Takitumu although subsequently founded, and this, in the name of the alliance tied by their ancestor with Tangiia.

With the head of each vaka, one finds according to the cases one or more ariki. The territory of the vaka is subdivided in Tapere

" Vaka tere" (dugout)

Those can be of architecture, size, or different forms according to their use. One distinguishes from them in the Cook islands three great types:

Vaka purua

Also called " vaka turua" , it is about a double dugout or Catamaran. These dugouts which were generally used for the long crossings inter islands, could measure for largest up to 25 meters length and embark according to the tradition about fifty people as well as provisions for several weeks.

Vaka kumete

These single hull dugouts, also called pa' I could they also reach several tens of meters length and be used for crossings with the long course.

Vaka tovere

Also called " vaka paiere" , these dugouts of small sizes were and are always used primarily to fish in the lagoon or right beyond the reef. Those also comprise a beam called " ama "

There exist also vaka modern facts out of carbon fiber and other new materials, used for the sporting events taking place each year like the vaka 'eiva

Expressions idiomatic starting from the term vaka

" Vaka kirikiri ", literally dugout of rollers or gravel dugout, is an expression used to indicate a dugout which returns bredouille of fishing.
" Vaka pananaki ", literally " dugout-pansement" indicate a dugout more or less brinquebalante which was used too much and which has to undergo a great number of repairs.
" Vaka tamaki " (litt. " dugout of guerre") is an expression indicating a group of individual wishing in découdre with the close tribe.
" Vaka uru ariki " indicate the throne of the ariki or all at least the crowned seat on which only a ariki can sit down
" Vakavaka " is a fleet of dugout.
" Vaka vai " : container in the shape of dugout used to collect water.
" Vakavaka taringa " : ears separated or in " break into leaf of chou" (expression idiomatic this very French time)

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