Torin Tindongan, his dad Mamerto, and the canoes

Feature: Mamerto's Pacific-Style Dugout Canoe

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Mamerto Tindongan is a well-known wood carver. I've photographed him before, and some of the pictures appear elsewhere here. He has also been world-champion atl-atl-ist. He undertook to build a Pacific-style dragon dugout canoe. He ended up building two -- male and female. A crowd gathered for the launch of them, and many took a ride. Each canoe took about 100 hours to make, each from a single cot…  (read more)

06 Jul 2013

225 visits

Torin Tindongan, his dad Mamerto, and the canoes

Yes, that's a basketball. It symbolizes a pearl which, when in a dragon's mouth, makes the dragon docile. The teeth are deer antlers.

06 Jul 2013

147 visits

The canoes are prepared for launch

06 Jul 2013

1 comment

135 visits

A traditional ceremony precedes launch

06 Jul 2013

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To the water!

06 Jul 2013

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Whee! It floats!

But no matter how hard they paddle, they never get to her.

06 Jul 2013

134 visits

Mamerto in his canoe

The pirate flag was an addition. I'm not sure why.

06 Jul 2013

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Enjoying the ride

06 Jul 2013

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Not entirely convinced

06 Jul 2013

1 favorite

164 visits

It's pretty stable . . .

. . . as Mamerto demonstrates.
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