Bavelo

A bavelo (dug-out canoe) carved from a single tree trunk by Inia Tuburuarua in 1977. A good sense of balance was required for handling bavelo, as they have no outrigger to provide stability. They were used on rivers for taking produce to the market, especially for people of the interior to get to places of meeting with coastal people for barter. Both on mountain streams and along the coast they could be either poled or paddled - paddles when seated and wanting more freedom for the hands; poles when standing and wanting more speed. Paddle length: 1.63m; Pole length: 3.76m.