Dragon boat racing in Tahiti | French Polynesia

Postcard
The dragon boat is a human-powered boat (Paddled Water Craft) traditionally made of teak wood to various designs and sizes. It is one of a family of Traditional Long Boats found throughout Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands. It is now used in the team paddling sport of dragon boat racing.

With ancient Chinese origins, the first participants were Chinese villagers who held races in the belief it would show worship to the dragon, a traditional symbol of water. Today, the sport is fast and exciting with crews of either 10 or 20 paddling to the beat of a drum over a set distance.

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