ARTICLE BOAT LEPA

HISTORY OF LEPA BOAT

Lepa, also known as lipa or lepa-lepa, are indigenous ships of the Sama-Bajau people in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. They were traditionally used as houseboats by the seagoing Sama Dilaut. Since most Sama have abandoned exclusive sea-living, modern lepa are instead used as fishing boats and cargo vessels.

Lepa are medium-sized boats, usually averaging at 30 to 50 ft (9.1 to 15.2 m) in length, and around 5 to 7 ft (1.5 to 2.1 m) in width; with the hull averaging at 5 ft (1.5 m) in height. Very large lepa are known as kumpit. They can reach lengths of 50 to 120 ft (15 to 37 m) and are most often used as trade ships.[2] Lepa fitted with rudders instead of traditional steering oars are known as sapit (or sappit). Small one or two-person canoe-like variants of the lepa used exclusively in shallow water are known as buggoh (also boggo', buggoh jungalan or buggoh-buggoh). A buggoh is often towed by a family lepa. Lepa can also be used as a generic term for "boat" in the various Sama-Bajau groups; the vinta, for example, is also known as lepa-lepa. Lepa nowadays are increasingly being replaced by motor-powered outrigger canoes, the pambot ("pump boat")