______Chapter: SURVIVAL OF A TRADITIONAL CARIB WATERCRAFT DESIGN ELEMENT 75 Richard Callaghan

______

'XULQJLQYHVWLJDWLRQVRIWUDGLWLRQDOZDWHUFUDIWLQWKH8SSHU2ULQRFRUHJLRQRI9HQH]XHODDQXQXVXDOHOHPHQWRIKXOOGHVLJQ ZDVUHFRUGHG7KLVHOHPHQWLVDVPDOOVNHJRU¿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

'XUDQWHODVLQYHVWLJDFLRQHVVREUHHOGLVHxRGHQDYHVWUDGLFLRQDOHVHQODUHJLyQGHO2ULQRFRDOWRGH9HQH]XHODVHUHJLVWUy 739 XQHOHPHQWRH[FHSFLRQDOHQHOGLVHxRGHORVFDVFRV(VWHHOHPHQWRHVXQDDOHWDFRQHFWDGRKDFLDODSRSDGHODVFDQRDV SHTXHxDV8QHOHPHQWRVLPLODUVHHQFXHQWUDHQHOGLVHxRGHXQDVQDYHVWUDGLFLRQDOHVHQ0DUWLQLFD\SRGUtDUHSUHVHQWDUXQD SDUWHGHXQDGLVWULEXFLyQPiVJUDQGHHQHOSDVDGR/RVLQIRUPDQWHVGHO2ULQRFRDOWRGLMHURQTXHHOHOHPHQWRDOOtHVGHJUDQ DQWLJHGDG(OHOHPHQWRVLUYHSDUDRULHQWDUODFDQRDHQHODJXDWXUELD\ORVUiSLGRV3DUHFHLPSUREDEOHTXHHOHOHPHQWR VHDGHRULJHQHXURSHRSRUTXHORVHOHPHQWRVSDUHFLGRVQRIXHURQGHVDUUROODGRVHQ(XURSDKDVWDHO¿QGHOVLJORGLHFLQXHYH 7DPSRFRHVSUREDEOHTXHVHDXQDHYROXFLyQGHORVGLVHxRVEUDVLOHxRVMDQJDGDQLGHGLVHxRVQRUWHDPHULFDQRV

3HQGDQWOHVUHFKHUFKHVHIIHFWXpHVVXUXQHHPEDUFDWLRQWUDGLWLRQQHOOHGHODUpJLRQVXSpULHXUHGHO¶2UpQRTXHDX9HQH]XHOD XQpOpPHQWSHXFRPPXQGHFRQFHSWLRQGHFRTXHDpWpREVHUYp&HWpOpPHQWHVWXQHSHWLWHFURVVHRXDLOHURQDWWDFKpYHUVOD SRXSHGHVSHWLWVFDQRsV2QWURXYHXQpOpPHQWVHPEODEOHGDQVODFRQFHSWLRQGHFHUWDLQHVHPEDUFDWLRQVWUDGLWLRQQHOOHVj OD0DUWLQLTXHHWFHODSHXWUHSUpVHQWHUODSDUWLHG¶XQHGLVWULEXWLRQSDVVpHEHDXFRXSSOXVODUJH'HVWpPRLJQDJHVYHQDQWGH O¶2UpQRTXHVXSpULHXUODLVVHQWjSHQVHUTXHFHWpOpPHQWHVWFRQVLGpUDEOHPHQWDQWLTXH/¶pOpPHQWIRQFWLRQQHSRXURULHQWHU OHFDQRsGDQVOHVFRXUDQWVHWOHVUDSLGHV,OVHPEOHSHXSUREDEOHTXHO¶pOpPHQWVRLWG¶RULJLQHHXURSpHQQHFDUGHVpOpPHQWV VHPEODEOHVQ¶RQWSDVpWpGpYHORSSpHQ(XURSHDYDQWOD¿QGXGL[QHXYLqPHVLqFOH,OHVWpJDOHPHQWLPSUREDEOHTX¶LOVRLW XQGpYHORSSHPHQWGHVFRQFHSWLRQVEUpVLOLHQQHVGHMDQJDGDRXGHVFRQFHSWLRQVQRUGDPpULFDLQHV _

The Carib Skeg Design In 1996 while conducting ethnographic research on traditional watercraft in the Upper Orinoco region of Venezuela, I traveled to the village of Esmeralda a Ye’Kwana settlement (Figure 1). The Ye’Kwana are a Carib-speaking group noted for the quality of manufacture of their canoes. The Ye’Kwana are the only group in the area who regularly travel across watersheds and it is considered a status symbol to own one if you belong to another group. Although the canoes of many of the nearby groups are RIQHDUO\LGHQWLFDOVW\OHWRWKRVHRIWKHcanoe from the area out of the water to photograph it, I was surprised WRVHHDVPDOOVNHJRU¿QWRZDUGVWKHVWHUQRIWKHYHVVHO )LJXUH ,KDGQRWVHHQWKLVGHYLFHEHIRUH on the Orinoco or for that matter anywhere in the circum-Caribbean region. I enquired if this device ZDVWUDGLWLRQDODQGZDVDVVXUHGWKDWLWZDVWKRXJK,FRXOGQRW¿QGDQ\RQHZKRFRXOGJLYHPHDQLGHD of its precise antiquity. The response I received as to the function of the device was that it aided in running rapids and in other rough water conditions. I did not observe the skeg on larger canoes. This was probably because the larger vessels now have a truncated stern to accommodate outboard motors, which have their own skeg attached. An interesting aspect of the skeg is its method of attachment. Despite that today iron nails are readily available wooden pegs are still used. Iron nails tend to make the wood surrounding them deteriorate. Also if the skeg is broken off in rapids one can easily be fashioned and attached in most locations.

Design Comparisons 7KH-DQJDGD I wondered if the skeg might not be an introduction based on an European or recent North American design. One possibility that I entertained was that it was somehow related to the dagger boards used to steer the Brazilian MDQJXDGDsailing raft (Edwards 1965). There is, of course, fairly easy contact into the Bazilian Amazon through the Casiquiare Canal and the Rio Negro from the Upper Orinoco. The MDQJXDGD is in part controlled by a centerboard, a device reminiscent of the Carib skeg. Edwards (1965) concluded that the MDQJXDGD was introduced into the Amazon by the Portuguese probably from southern India, where such devices are common, rather than being an offshoot of the Ecuadorian balsa 740 sailing raft. The balsa raft uses multiple dagger boards to steer. One reason for his conclusion was that there is no mention of the MDQJXDGD in historic literature until long after the Portuguese were moving up the Amazon. I do not think that this can be the origin of the skeg as the two devices have somewhat GLIIHUHQWSXUSRVHVDQGWKHUHVHPEODQFHLVVXSHU¿FLDO

7KH5DFLQJkeel on a racing yacht. The modern racing yacht keel that resembles the skeg on the Carib canoes was developed during the 19th century and even the center-board was not introduced until around 1815 (Baader 1965: 21–26). $OWKRXJKWKHUHLVDVXSHU¿FLDOUHVHPEODQFHEHWZHHQWKHWZRGHYLFHVLWLVGLI¿FXOWWRLPDJLQHZKHUHD people living in the Upper Orinoco would have seen a modern yacht keel. For one thing, a deep keel is not suited for the relatively shallow waters of the region where shifting sandbars are a seasonal problem. It is conceivable that some Caribs observed the keel when traveling to the coast, which they DUHNQRZQWRKDYHGRQHDWDQHDUO\GDWHEXWLIWKHLUVNHJKDVDQ\UHDODQWLTXLW\LWFDQQRWKDYHEHHQ inspired by a yacht keel. Further the purpose is again somewhat different.

7KH6XUIERDUG 0RUHRQDZKLPWKDQH[SHFWLQJWR¿QGDUHDOFRQQHFWLRQ,ORRNHGDWWKHVNHJVIRXQGRQVXUIERDUGV Some of these are virtually identical to those on the Carib canoes (Figure 3). Surfboards have been used in Hawaii for centuries (Franklin and Pepin 2002). The original design did not include a skeg. 7KHGHYLFHRQVXUIERDUGVLVYHU\UHFHQW,WZDV¿UVWGHYHORSHGE\7RP%ODNHLQ3ULRUWR%ODNH¶V innovations, traditional surfboards were very large and heavy. They also had a tendency to become waterlogged quickly. Along with making surfboards smaller and lighter Blake introduced the skeg. ,WVIXQFWLRQZDVWRHQDEOHWKHVXUIHUVWRWUDFNDQGSLYRWPRUHHI¿FLHQWO\,WDOVRJLYHVWKHERDUGPRUH lateral stability. Such boards were introduced to Peruvian surfers shortly after their development as Blake published his design widely. While the surfboard skeg does show up in South America soon after its development, it does not seem a likely inspiration for the Carib design. For one thing, you do not see many surfers on the Upper Orinoco but more to the point if there is any antiquity to the Carib design, the surfboard skeg is far too recent. Its function though is notable here.  7KH ODWHUDO VWDELOLW\ RU VWDELOLW\ DURXQG WKH ORQJLWXGLQDO D[LV WKDW WKH ¿Q RU VNHJ JLYHV LV important. When a vessel is moving through the water with the waves behind it the water within the waves has an orbital motion (Garrett 1987: 189–193). This causes the vessel to orient itself parallel to the waves. If not countered, the vessel will broach turning onto its side and capsizing. This will happen with either wind-driven waves or waves created in rapids. The skeg itself helps to prevent broaching and ultimately capsizing. Another advantage is that it produces dynamic positive stability which returns the vessel to its original position. Further, increasing lateral stability helps to prevent a YHVVHOIURPVKLIWLQJSRVLWLRQZKHQZLQGJXVWVDUHDWULJKWDQJOHVWRWKHORQJLWXGLQDOD[LV

7KHkeels or leeboards. It is rather the technique of sailing that allows such performance. The interesting aspect of the \ROH here is that it does have a small skeg, although one that differs in shape from the Upper Orinoco Carib design. Doran (2002) considers whether or not the \ROH design might be of European origin. He points 741 out that its design is very different from French sailed workboats that have been used in the recent SDVW+HDOVRH[DPLQHVWKHZRUG\ROHLWVHOIIRUD(XURSHDQFRQQHFWLRQ$OWKRXJKKH¿QGVWKDWWKH\ROH is translated in dictionaries as skiff, it in no way resembles a skiff. There is a vessel called a \ROH in the 2UNQH\,VODQGVEXWDJDLQLWLVDYHU\GLIIHUHQWYHVVHO  )XUWKHUKHH[DPLQHVWKHSRVVLEOH link between the word \ROH and \DZO concluding that \DZO may simply be a generic Western European term for “a small open vessel that can be rowed or sailed” (2002: 439). This really sheds no light on the origin of the \ROH. Where things become interesting is his comparative analysis of the Martinique \ROH and the Dominican gommier,QH[DPLQLQJWKHOLQHVRIWKHWZRYHVVHOVKH¿QGVDUHPDUNDEOHFRUUHVSRQGHQFH The \ROH appears to be a plank built version of a much earlier Carib design made from a single, tree trunk.

7KH*UHHQODQG.D\DN On the basis of what may once have been a wide distribution across the Carib speaking region, I hypothesize that the skeg on the \ROH and the Carib canoes of the Upper Orinoco represent a relatively ancient design element. The following question arises: are the two versions of the skeg performing the same function and might they be derived from the same basic idea? The answers may lie in an unlikely source. Recently a graduate student, Matt Walls, from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Calgary brought to my attention some features of Greenland kayaks that are relevant to the problem. Some but not all traditional Greenland kayaks do have a skeg (Figure 6). Petersen (1986) discusses the skeg on a Greenland style called the portable kayak. –The traditional design has a skeg similar to that of the Martinique yole. This device was redesigned around 1870 by a native hunter named Peter from Oqaatsut. The redesigned skeg (Figure 7) is quite similar to that of the Carib canoes of the Upper Orinoco River. This demonstrates that the two shapes can be linked. Interestingly, the skeg does not appear to be part of the design of other Arctic kayaks (Matt Walls personal communication 2005). The device has a similar function to that of the skeg on Blake’s VXUIERDUG.D\DNVZHUHGLI¿FXOWWRFRQWUROZKHQDWWHPSWLQJWRKDUSRRQVHDOVGXHWRVKLIWVLQFXUUHQWV and winds. The skeg increases control and lateral stability (Petersen 1986). Conclusion

Both of the above attributes would be very useful to Carib canoeists whether in the rapids of the Upper Orinoco region or on the sea around the Lesser Antilles. The device would have been useful in both areas for capturing turtles and hunting manatees. Generally, it is useful anywhere where there may be variable winds and surface currents. What we may have is a broadly distributed indigenous Carib architectural design that as Doran (2002) postulates then was transferred to the Mediterranean area rather than a European introduction. It certainly suggests that at least Carib vessels were more sophisticated than is usually thought.

References Cited Baader, Juan 1965 7KH6DLOLQJ

Figure 1: Orinoco River 744

Figure 2: Carib Skeg

Figure 3: Blake’s Surfboard Skeg 745

Figure 4: Lesser Antilles Figure 5: Yole Skeg

746

Figure 6: Traditional Greenland Kayak Skeg (Courtesy of Matt Walls)

)LJXUH0RGL¿HG*UHHQODQG.D\DN6NHJ