The traditional Hare boat and the positions of the rowers
The boats used in Hare are called hare buni. In the past each villagefs fishermen had brought along their own sabani (fishing boat) to compete in.It is a great honor for a fishermen for his boat to be used as a hare buni. However, it costs a ship-owner a great deal to have his boat used as a hare buni, as he must support the rowers and put on feasts for them. The removal of engines and decoration of fishing boats is troublesome, so nowadays the Festival Committee provides the sabani (boats) to be used exclusively in the Hare Festival races.
Each crew is composed of twelve members ? ten rowers, a helmsman, and a standard-bearer. Ugwan Bare is the only exception to this with thirteen members in each team. Sitting at the bow is the helmsman, followed by rower number one, and then two rowers in the second, third, forth and fifth rower seats, and one rower in the sixth seat, followed by the standard-bearer at the stern. The role the first rower and the standard-bearer play is particularly important. It is said that these two alone decide which team wins and which team loses, so the people in these position are always fishermen in their prime ? full of energy and skilled at reading the sea.
The boats used, sabani, are 6.8m long, 1.3m wide and 47cm deep.
The festival date
June23,2012(Saturday)
June23,2012(Saturday)