Kora Kora
Encyclopedia
A kora-kora or kora kora or coracora is a traditional canoe from the Maluku
(Moluccas) Islands, Indonesia
. It is approximately ten metres long and very narrow, quite open, very low, and weighs about four tons. It had outriggers of bamboo
about five feet off each side, which supported a bamboo platform extending the whole length of the vessel. On the extreme outside of this sit the twenty rowers (overall it needs 40 paddlers), while within was a convenient passage fore and aft. The middle portion of the boat is covered with a thatch-house, in which baggage and passengers are stowed. The gunwale
was not more than a foot above water, and from the great top and side weight. The shape of the boat itself is similar to a Chinese
Dragon Boat
.
This boat is used for both trade and warfare. Bigger kora-koras were used as war vessels during the war with the Dutch
in the Banda Islands
during the 17th century.
Since ancient times the steerer and paddlers of these traditional Moluccan rowing boats yelled 'Mena Muria', to syncronise their strokes during off shore expeditions. This literally means 'Front - Back', but is also translated to 'I go - We follow' or 'One for all - All for One'.
Some of the bigger rowing boats could have over 100 rowers and when used on the maritime war path, during for instance a so called 'hongitocht' (war expeditions for the Dutch East India Company
during the 17th century), the approach of the 'kora kora' struck fear in the hearts of the villagers from the attacked coastal village.
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
(Moluccas) Islands, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. It is approximately ten metres long and very narrow, quite open, very low, and weighs about four tons. It had outriggers of bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
about five feet off each side, which supported a bamboo platform extending the whole length of the vessel. On the extreme outside of this sit the twenty rowers (overall it needs 40 paddlers), while within was a convenient passage fore and aft. The middle portion of the boat is covered with a thatch-house, in which baggage and passengers are stowed. The gunwale
Gunwale
The gunwale is a nautical term describing the top edge of the side of a boat.Wale is the same word as the skin injury, a wheal, which, too, forms a ridge. Originally the gunwale was the "Gun ridge" on a sailing warship. This represented the strengthening wale or structural band added to the design...
was not more than a foot above water, and from the great top and side weight. The shape of the boat itself is similar to a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Dragon Boat
Dragon boat
A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft traditionally made, in the Pearl River delta region of southern China - Guangdong Province, of teak wood to various designs and sizes. In other parts of China different woods are used to build these traditional watercraft...
.
This boat is used for both trade and warfare. Bigger kora-koras were used as war vessels during the war with the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in the Banda Islands
Banda Islands
The Banda Islands are a volcanic group of ten small volcanic islands in the Banda Sea, about south of Seram Island and about east of Java, and are part of the Indonesian province of Maluku. The main town and administrative centre is Bandanaira, located on the island of the same name. They rise...
during the 17th century.
Since ancient times the steerer and paddlers of these traditional Moluccan rowing boats yelled 'Mena Muria', to syncronise their strokes during off shore expeditions. This literally means 'Front - Back', but is also translated to 'I go - We follow' or 'One for all - All for One'.
Some of the bigger rowing boats could have over 100 rowers and when used on the maritime war path, during for instance a so called 'hongitocht' (war expeditions for the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
during the 17th century), the approach of the 'kora kora' struck fear in the hearts of the villagers from the attacked coastal village.