Traditional Polynesian Navigation

Introduction

• the islands of Polynesia are in the Pacific Ocean
• the Polynesian peoples originally migrated from to the Pacific islands
• European explorers were impressed that Polynesian canoes were than European ships

Equipment on ocean-going canoes

• paddles were use for
• sails were made from the pandanus plant
• warm clothes were made from of the paper mulberry tree

How Polynesians navigated at sea

• they did not have the magnetic compass
• they remembered where stars rose and set by making up detailed
• when it was cloudy, they found the direction by using

Finding new islands

• they could identify certain that only live near land
• close to land, they could read changes in the sea's

Recent history

• in 1967 the canoe Hokule'a sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti without
• now replica traditional canoes have sailed across the Pacific and around the world
• as well as sailing, these voyages have created fresh interest in Polynesian culture, music and