Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jul 2005
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005stard..33d..16b&link_type=abstract
StarDate magazine, vol. 33, no. 4, p. 16-19
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
History And Philosophy Of Astronomy, Stars: General
Scientific paper
The western explorers of the Pacific Ocean cultures were astounded to discover that the islands were populated by people who navigated from island to island with no instruments and no maps. Researchers in recent decades observed the wayfinding techniques of West Pacific islands groups that had sustained the traditional way of life. They found a system of navigational aids that drew upon the features of the seascape -- winds, ocean swells and waves, and the habits of land-roosting birds. But most important was a body of knowledge about the night sky. The Polynesian Voyaging Society in Hawaii has reawakened interest in the traditional navigational skills by building the double-hulled canoes in which the ancestors traveled. While much has been lost, those inspired by the amazing voyaging feats of the Oceanic peoples are recovering the navigational skills by studying the night sky at the Bishop Planetarium in Honolulu.
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