The World of Amaya: Unleashing the Karakoa

GMA-7’s new "epikserye" Amaya is about a woman who transcends the limitations of a pre-Hispanic Central Visayan society and makes the transition from princess to slave to warrior. While most of the show focuses on the major characters and the social positions they occupy, special attention has also been given to the series’ production design, particularly the reproduction of the traditional warship called the karakoa —a Filipino boat built without nails but was three times faster than a Spanish galleon. The karakoa is a traditional plank-built boat fitted with the necessary accoutrements for the searaiding (mangayaw) of rival settlements for booty, slaves, and the occasional bride. Similar to the korakora of Indonesia, the karakoa – and other pre-Hispanic Filipino plank-built vessels – belongs to a tradition of marine architecture dating back to the 3rd century BCE, spanning from Scandinavia to the South Pacific. Most celebrated Visayan vessel Compared to the Spanish galleon, the karakoa may come across as somewhat primitive. But in Philippine waters, a flotilla of galleons was no match for a fleet of native warships built for speed and maneuverability in shallow coastal waters. In his book Barangay: Sixteenth Century Philippine Culture and Society, historian William Henry Scott describes the karakoa as the most celebrated Visayan vessel:

“...(A) sleek, double-ended cruiser with an elevated fighting deck amidships, and catwalks mounted on the outrigger supports to seat as many as six banks of paddlers. They displayed tall staffs of brilliant plumage fore and aft as a sign of victory, called sombol on the prow, tongol on the stern."

A more detailed description appears in Scott’s monograph, "Boat-building and Seamanship in Classic Philippine Society ," which heavily references the Historias de las Islas e Indios de las Bisayas, written in 1668 by Fr. Francisco Alcina, a master shipwright who keenly observed Visayan shipbuilding techniques. Alcina expressed great admiration for the efficiency of the vessels crafted by native shipwrights Assembled without nails The karakoa hull is usually built using stakes hewn out of one piece of wood, a considerable feat of craftsmanship, given that some vessels measure almost 25 meters long. The hull’s curved shape requires that the planks be hand-carved. Nails are not used in joining each plank, as they are prone to rusting and rotting surrounding wood. Instead, strakes are connected by wooden dowels enforced by lugs lashed with hemp bindings. A plank-built hull offers more flexibility than a solid, rigid hull, and also redistributes the underwater pressure, while rattan lashings are easily tightened or replaced without inflicting damage on the planks. Tripod masts are erected instead of a rigid tall mast to safely shift pressures with the hull’s movement. The quarter rudders, large steering oars, can be raised almost instantly to avoid underwater obstructions. The outriggers, on the other hand, have their ends slanted upward to prevent rolling, increase water resistance, and adding buoyancy; it also serves as the boat’s “carrying" handles for the crew to lift when going ashore. Faster than a Spanish galleon The vessel has a low freeboard and shallow draft, making it less susceptible to the swift currents of interisland passages and channels. This also allows the paddles (bugsey) to reach the waves. Paddles provide rowers with direct control of depth, length, and frequency of stroke —all of which help increase the vessel’s best speed of 12 to 15 knots, almost triple the speed of a galleon. Even the double-ends serve a purpose: maneuverability. Shift the helm to the other end, and have the paddlers turn in their seats, and the karakoa speeds off to the opposite direction. That said, the karakoa is not without its disadvantages. Its relatively lightweight, flexible hull and lack of central rudder makes it easily blown sideways on a smooth sea, and impeded by a choppy one, hence making raiding a seasonal venture. An average karakoa crew numbers a hundred individuals , only a quarter of which are deployed to man the fighting deck. Dr. Neil Santillan, series consultant and history professor at University of the Philippines-Diliman, notes that the karakoa crew reflects the social stratification of the settlement. “The ulipon (indentured servants or slaves) serve as rowers, the timawa (free warrior class) hold the bangkaw (spear), and the datu (chieftain) leads." Amaya: Prepped for primetime Construction of Amaya’s karakoa was headed by the series’ production designer Rodel Cruz. Over 50 shipwrights from Olongapo City were contracted to build the boat, a process that took over two and a half months and cost almost a million pesos. While a team of History professors from the University of the Philippines was consulted to ensure that the production design closely adhered to historical accounts, some modern conveniences had to be incorporated. Instead of constructing a hull plank by plank, the shipwrights refurbished a pre-existing hull to look like a karakoa, while a team of artists worked on the aesthetic details. It is also equipped with a hidden engine to facilitate the boat’s movement, traditionally propelled by a crew of 100 or more paddlers. The result is a wholly seaworthy vessel ready to sail into the testy waters of primetime television. — TJD, GMA News