These ships lined up in a row are called Sabani, the traditional fishing boat of Okinawa. Just like canoes in the Pacific islands, the Sabani was an indispensable tool for Okinawan life at sea. The Sabani is known for its maneuverability in tight turns, durability from coral reef damage, as well as the ability to cut through waves extremely well. Sabani were used in the Ryukyu Kingdom era by Okinawan fishermen carrying shark fins to be presented to mainland Japan.
The shape and materials of the Sabani have changed over time to its current form you see before you. Can you find the ship lined with ribbon-shapes along its sides?
Created in the Meiji era, this wooden bonding material called “Fundu'' was the revolutionary piece that led to the evolution of the Sabani. Initially, no more than a hollowed-out boat like any canoe, the bonding material of “Fundu” suddenly made it possible to connect multiple boards and build larger, more capable ships.
Boatbuilders can make the boat, but it’s the Fundu that really makes the Sabani. Carved from wood and shaped to perfection, the art of making Fundu is an essential and advanced skill that closes off all gaps in the Sabani ship without using nails, preventing rust, and enhancing its durability.
The bigger the ship, the farther it traveled and the more bounty you could carry. It’s said that the fishermen in the Okinawan city, Itoman, boarded the Sabani and ventured off into the Indian ocean. The Fundu bonded more than just the wooden boards of the boat, but also bonded the islanders with a world outside their island home.
The handiwork of an elaborate shipbuilder and the skill of producing Fundu is a treasure in and of itself.
