Panorama showing the side of the Ratu Finau War Canoe in the Fiji Museum.

Ratu Finau War Canoe in Fiji Museum - Suva visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Ratu Finau War Canoe in Fiji Museum' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Viti Levu.

The Ratu Finau War Canoe in the Fiji Museum is an example of Dura, a double hulled sailing canoe used by local people. This is the only remaining 'waqa tabus' in Fiji and one of only two remaining Duras on earth. Duras are also known as Na Drua, N'drua, Ndrua or Vaka Tepu (Sacred Ones). Only the aristocracy could own a war canoe.

The Ratu Finau canoe was built in 1913. It is quite small by Dura standards, measuring only 13.43m long (30m long duras have been recorded), with a sheltered platform in the middle to protect sailors from the elements. At their height, the duras were faster than Western sailing boats, but were easily out gunned by the latter's guns and crews.

The only other surviving dura war canoe is housed in the National Maritime Museum in Auckland, New Zealand.

Fiji Museum
PO Box 2023 Govt. Bldgs,
Suva, Fiji

The Fiji Museum is in the middle of Thurston Gardens, next to Albert Park, a short walk south of the center of Suva.