Fautasi

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/fautasi

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How long is Fautasi?Exceeds 30 meters (approximately 100 feet)
2. What is the vessel classification?Traditional Samoan long racing canoe
3. What is the geographic origin?Samoa, a Polynesian island nation in the South Pacific
4. What is a Fautasi canoe?A Fautasi is a giant racing canoe from Samoa, longer than 30 meters, built from wooden logs like the breadfruit tree.
5. How do people paddle a Fautasi?People paddle with single‑bladed paddles in sync, using 15 to 25 crew members to move the big boat.

Polynesian: Relating to the islands and peoples of Polynesia, a vast region of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean.
Hydrodynamic Drag: The resistance force exerted by water on a moving object, which can be minimized by efficient design.
Coxswain: The person responsible for steering and directing the crew in a boat race, often by calling out commands.
Cultural Continuity: The persistence and transmission of cultural practices, beliefs, and values across generations.