Kora kora

[2] The origin of the name is unknown, but it has been proposed that it may have been derived from the Arabic "قُرقور" qorqora, the plural of qarâqir,[3] meaning "large merchant ship".

De Morga not only says expressly that it is a word used by the Tagalog people of Mindoro, Marinduque, and Luzon, but that it is also a true Malayo-Polynesian word: In the Malay Peninsula: kolek (a small fishing boat); Amboina: kolekole, Mota (Banks Islands): kora, San Cristoval (South Solomons): ora.

Since ancient times the steerer and paddlers of these traditional Moluccan rowing boats yelled "Mena Muria", to synchronise their strokes during off shore expeditions.

Some of the bigger rowing boats could have over 100 rowers and when used on the maritime war path, during for instance a so-called hongitocht (war expeditions for the Dutch East India Company during the 17th century), the approach of the kora kora struck fear in the hearts of the villagers from the attacked coastal village.

Each ship is rowed by 300 rowers, supported by men armed with spears, blowgun, arrows, and swords in a higher fighting platform called balai.