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Thevinta is a traditionaloutrigger boat from thePhilippine island ofMindanao. The boats are made bySama-Bajau,Tausug andYakan peoples living in theSulu Archipelago,[2]Zamboanga peninsula, and southernMindanao. It is also made by the Sama-Bajau that lived in east coast ofSabah,Malaysia. Vinta are characterized by their colorfulrectangular lug sails (bukay) and bifurcatedprows andsterns, which resemble the gaping mouth of a crocodile. Vinta are used as fishing vessels, cargo ships, and houseboats. Smaller undecorated versions of the vinta used for fishing and transportation are known astondaan andbogo-lamak.[3][4]
The name "vinta" is predominantly used inZamboanga,Basilan, and other parts of mainland Mindanao. It is also known aspilang orpelang among theSama-Bajau of theTawi-Tawi islands;dapang ordepang among theTausug inSulu;balanda orbinta among theYakan inBasilan; andbogo-lamak among the Sama-Bajau in the east coast ofSabah. It can also be generically referred to aslepa-lepa,sakayan, orbangka, which are native names for small outrigger vessels.[3][5][4]
The vinta has a deep and narrow hull formed from a U-shaped dugout keel (baran) built up with five planks on each side. It is usually around 4.5 to 10 m (15 to 33 ft) in length. The most distinctive feature of the vinta hull is theprow, which is carved in the likeness of the gaping mouth of a crocodile (buaya). It is composed of two parts, the lower part is known assaplun, while the flaring upper part is known aspalansar, both are usually elaborately carved withokil motifs. The stern has two upper extensions (thesangpad-sangpad) which either emerge from the back in a V-shape, or are separated by a space in the middle. The stern may or may not feature okil carvings like the prow. Vinta hulls are traditionally made fromred lawaan wood; while the dowels, ribs, and sometimes parts of the outrigger are made frombakawan (mangrove) wood.[2][3]
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The hull is covered by a removable deck made of planks or split bamboo. It has a central house-like structure known as thepalau. This is used as a living space especially for vinta which are used as houseboats by the Sama-Bajau. Thepalau can be taken down to convert the houseboat into a sailing boat. However, this is usually only done when absolutely necessary for vinta which function as houseboats. When traveling, vinta are usually paddled or poled in shallow and calm coastal waters, with frequent stops along the way for supplies. They only sail when crossing seas between islands in a hurry.[3]
Vinta have two bamboo outrigger floats (katig) which are supported by booms (batangan). Large boats can have as many as fourbatangan for each outrigger. The floats are slightly diagonal, with the front tips wider apart than the rear tips. The front tips of the floats also extend past the prow and curve upwards, while the rear tips do not extend beyond the stern. Additional booms (sa'am) also extend out from the hull and the main booms. These provide support for a covering of planks (lantay) which serve as extensions of the deck.[2][3][6]
Vinta are usually rigged with arectangular lug sail locally known asbukay, on a biped mast slotted near the front section. These are traditionally decorated with colorful vertical strips of the traditional Sama-Bajau colors of red, blue, green, yellow, and white.[3] The patterns and colors used are usually specific to a particular family or clan.[6] Traditional vinta sails, like other sails of traditional Filipino vessels use woven mats (banig) of pandanus leaves.[7]
Smaller sailing versions of the vinta used for fishing and transportation are known as "tondaan" or "bogo-lamak". They are usually undecorated and lack the upper prow and stern attachments. The tondaan are rigged with a mast and a sail at all times, though a temporarypalau can be erected amidships if necessary. Bogo-lamak on the other hand can't be installed with temporarypalau but they are built with detachable mast and sail. Modern vinta are usually tondaan or bogo-lamak instead of the larger houseboats. Like other traditional boats in the Philippines since the 1970s, they are almost always motorized and have largely lost their sails. The modern bogo-lamak from Sabah, Malaysia are also converted intopumpboat which still use sail to save its engine fuel. The sail will be used when there's a strong wind current and with this condition, it can even beat the engine power of the pumpboat itself.[3][8][4]
Along with thebalangay, lightly armed vinta were also used in the civilian squadrons of theMarina Sutil ("Light Navy") ofZamboanga City and Spanish-controlled settlements inMindanao and theVisayas in the late 18th to early 19th centuries, as defense fleets againstMoro Raiders.[9][10][11]
Vinta are usually carved withokil designs, similar to thelepa anddjenging boats of the Sama-Bajau people. The three most common motifs aredauan-dauan (leaf-like designs),kaloon (curved lines), andagta-agta (fish designs). All three are used in carving thebuaya design of the prow. The hull of the vinta is decorated with one to three strips of curvilinear carvings known asbahan-bahan (meaning "bending" or "curving"), which are reminiscent of waves. In new boats, these designs can be painted with the same colors as the sails, but once the paint wears off, it is usually not repainted.[3]
In 1985 the vintaSarimanok was sailed from Bali to Madagascar to replicate ancient seafaring techniques.[12][13]
Zamboanga City celebrates vintas in the annual Regatta de Zamboanga during the city's Zamboanga Hermosa Festival each October. The participants are usually Sama-Bajau fishermen from the coastal areas of Zamboanga. Many of these modern "vinta" however, are not vinta, but are other types ofbangka (likebigiw) that merely use a vinta-patterned sail (often non-functional).[8][14]
In 2016,Jolo,Sulu, also started holding an annual Vinta Festival each February 14.[15]
"Vinta" is also the name of a Moro dance that commemorates the migration ofFilipinos into the archipelago. In the dance, dancers imitating the movements of the vinta (vessel) by balancing perilously on top of poles.Parents for Education Foundation (PAREF) schools in the Philippines have adopted the vinta as their symbol.
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