Tryin' Trad

Someone I know out in Madang has a dugout canoe (red/green canoe in photo) that was made by some of the local folks of the Tagog settlement. I wanted to see what a completely traditional style canoe felt like so I got permission to take it out with my daughters. The first thing I noticed is that this canoe seems to glide more smoothly than the fiberglass sea kayak I took out several months back, and much better than the homemade canoe from one of our previous posts. Nice.

As we went out along the coast and passed a couple villages, as would be expected, the people there seem pleased (and much more conversational) when seeing us expats cruising along in one of their traditional canoes. Reminds me that while Shan Skailyn's design may not have the traditional Papua New Guinea coastal look, I want to be sure to add as many elements to her design that people here can relate to. Whether it be her art, a bit of carving, and even maximizing the use of obviously local materials, it all adds up to the total of something that, rather than alienating, will actually connect with the local culture.

Maybe I can ask one of my Mibu friends to carve one of his distinct patterns along the gunwale. Lots of potential options to consider.