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19. Wood

All wood products should be well finished, varnished and fumigated with no sign of bores or entry points for insects. Often the level of processing determines whether wood products are successfully cleared. Sometimes the carving has not been properly completed and there are remnants of the bark. The trimming or handles on the products can also be an issue, such as coconut sinnet which can be infested if not well treated or poorly stored. The handle or the base of some products is made from cheap wood which is often infested.

Before mobilising any wood-based products, you are advised to ensure you fulfill the obligations of the country for which they are destined for as well as the country of origin. You may need an import and export permit, and a phytosanitary certificate issued by the National Plant Protection Organization. Some hard woods are protected species and need special clearance. Certain woods used in musical instruments, furniture, sculptures and other carvings are regulated under CITES.

These are:
• Certain rosewood species

• Certain sandalwood species

• Certain mahogany species

English Name: Pacific rosewood

Scientific Name: Thespesia populnea

Indigenous Name: Miro (Cook Islands); milo, mulomulo (Fiji); miro (Hawaii); milo (Samoa); miro (Tahiti Nui, French Polynesia); milo (Tonga); milo (Wallis)

General Information: 

Used for making to’ere of slit wooden drums.

  English Name: Ironwood

Scientific Name: Casurina equisitifolia

Indigenous Name: 

Toa (Cook Islands); nokonoko, cau, nakure, qaro, velau (Fiji); toa (Rotuman); neokuk, ueoku, ueokuk, weeku, weku, wehku, nach, noc (FSM); gago, gagu, goago (Guam); paina, toa (Hawaii); te burukam (Kiribati); bûlukam, mejinoki, nidõl, pientri (Marshall Islands); toa (Norfolk); nas, ngas, ngasu (Palau); toa (Samoa); nonyo (Solomon Islands); toa, aito, kakaouou (Tahiti Nui, French Polynesia); toa (Tonga); laremanifi, toa (Tuvalu); toa (Walis and Futuna)

  England Name: Polynesian sandalwood

Scientific Name: Santalum insularae 

Indigenous Name: Yasi, yasi dina (Fiji); ‘iliahi hawaii; a’i (Samoa); ahi (Tonga); ahi (Wallis)
 English Name: Mahogany, Polynesian mahogany,
Scientific Name: Calophyllum inophyllum, Aglaia samoensis
Indigenous name: Tamanu (Cook Islands); dilo (Fiji); kamani (Hawaii); te itai (Kiribati); btaches (Palau); fetau, laga’ali (Samoa); tāmanu, ati (Tahiti Nui), fetau (Tuvalu); fetau, tamanu (Wallis)
Mahogany, Aglaia samoensis, is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species/ Fumigated with methyl bromide and certification attached. Listed on Fiji’s Protected Species List.		  Scientific Name: Intsia bijuga
Indigenous Name: Vesi (Fiji); ifilele (Samoa); fehi (Wallis)		  Scientific Name: Dacrydium nausoriense, Dacrydium elatum
Indigenous Name: Miro (Cook Islands); yaka, dakuasalusalu (Fiji)
English Name: Ebony, blackwood

Scientific Name: Diospyros samoensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Agathis macrophylla

Indigenous Name: ‘Au’auli (Samoa); auri, aauri (Tahiti Nui, French Polynesia); kookau uli, kauli (Tonga); kaukau uli (Walis and Futuna

General Information: These woods are most often used for wood carving and found most commonly in Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.
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