Fautasi boats are massive boats, with crews of 50 or so, that are raced a few times a year in Samoa. The races between villages are the highlight of Independence Day and the upcoming Teuila Festival. These boats are funded and campaigned by individual communities and the competition is quite fierce with crews training hard for months before major regattas. There is so much prestige for the winning village that the teams practice until they're exhausted and their hands are bloody with blisters.

For the last few weeks, a couple of boats in the Apia area have been practicing in the harbor. Some guy in the back of the boat is keeping the beat for the rowers by banging a drum which you can hear all over town. It's almost primal feeling to hear the beating of the drum as you see these huge boats flying across the water.

I've been trying to find more information about the boats online, but it's difficult to track anything down. I know that the boats are unique to the islands of American Samoa, Western Samoa and Tonga. They range in length from 90 to 105 feet or so and rowed from somewhere between 44 and 62 44 oarsmen and one helmsman. It's not a lot to go on, but it's something. I'm going to try to find out more at library some time this week.

I saw the races on Independence Day, June 4th. Hundreds of people were gathered 5-10 deep ll around the perimeter of our circular harbor to watch the finale of the race, which was something of an anti-climax because the race was shortened for some unknown reason and nobody knew when the boats were going to arrive.