Nohoana-Nohona: Canoe Seat
The generic name for the canoe seat is Nohoana or Nohona. In the single-hull canoe (Waʻa Kaukahi), key operational seats had specific names.
These key operational seats referred to the location of the seat and had no relationship to the number of seats in the canoe.
Kamaniʻula: referred to the forward-most seat in the canoe. The responsibility of this seat was to set the pace of paddling for the rest of the crew. This seat also served as a lookout for obstacles located forward of the canoe. The additional responsibility was to provide power while the canoe was under sail, should paddle power be needed to keep the canoe on course.
Papakōnane: referred to the seat directly behind the forward ʻiako. The responsibility for this seat was to balance the canoe while under sail by sitting out on the Lapuʻuna part of the ʻiako or on the muku part of the ʻiako to counterbalance the force of the wind on the sail.
Pani: referred to the seat directly in front of the steerman's seat, regardless of the position of the rear ʻiako. This seatʻs responsibility was to assist the steermans in heavy seas and then, under sail, to control the sheet or Kaula Paepae.
Pāpākiʻi: this was the steermanʻs seat located in the stern of the canoel. This person controlled the direction of the canoe while underway and served as the canoeʻs captain.