War canoe
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A war canoe is a
History
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War canoes were used in Africa,
Warriors on board were typically armed with shield, spear and bow. In the gunpowder era, small iron or brass cannon were sometimes mounted on the bow or stern, although the firepower delivered from these areas and weapons was relatively ineffective. Musketeers delivering fire to cover raiding missions generally had better luck. The typical tactic was to maneuver close to shore, discharge weapons, then quickly pull out to open water to reload, before dashing in again to repeat the cycle. Troop and supply transport were the primary missions, but canoe versus canoe engagements in the lagoons, creeks and lakes of West Africa were also significant.
Canadian sport war canoes
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War canoe is largely a Canadian sport, with some teams coming from the northwestern United States as well; it is not sanctioned by the International Canoe Federation but is nonetheless an important part of most Canadian canoe club racing programs.[3] The term 'war canoe' is derived from large indigenous peoples' canoes intended for war, and war canoeing was in fact a popular sport in Vancouver, British Columbia before large gatherings of indigenous people were outlawed in 1922. War canoeing among indigenous communities is enjoying a revival today, although there as yet has been little interaction with non-indigenous teams.
A war canoe holds 15 paddlers including one
War canoe is seen as a prestige event at
Typically, a war canoe will be faster than a dragon boat over any given distance, because of a better hull shape (narrower and without the characteristic 'w' shape of dragon boat hulls), lighter construction, and the kneeling position allowing for a fuller, more powerful stroke than the sitting position used in dragon boats.
See also
- Tomako
- Pacific Northwest Canoes
- Dragon boat
- Sprint canoe
- Canoe racing
- Waka
- Kakap
- Swan boat (racing)
- Nouka Baich
- Chundan vallam
References
- ^ "A war canoe of New Zealand". www.captcook-ne.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
- ^ Robert Smith, The Canoe in West African History, The Journal of African History, Vol. 11, No. 4 (1970), pp. 515–533
- ^ a b "War Canoe | Canoe Kayak Canada". canoekayak.ca. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
External links
Tomako - War Canoe - Solomon Islands