Ama (sailing)
The term ama is a word in the Polynesian and Micronesian languages to describe the outrigger part of a canoe to provide stability. Today, among the various Polynesian countries, the word ama is often used together with the word vaka (Cook Islands) or waka (Māori) or va'a (Samoa Islands, Tahiti), cognate words in various Polynesian languages to describe a canoe.
In modern sailing, the term is sometimes used to refer to the outrigger on a proa or trimaran, or the two sections of a catamaran. However, calling the two sections of a catamaran by the word ama, is not technically correct since they are of equal size. A catamaran is technically a wa'a wa'a or double canoe connected by an aka.
Read more about Ama (sailing): History, Function, Use of The Term in Other Cultures