Using stars, swells, birds and clouds, Polynesian voyagers settled islands across the Pacific, from Hawaii to New Zealand. In 1976, the canoe Hōkūleʻa sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti the traditional way, proving it could be done.
Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.
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Reading the ocean
Navigators felt swell patterns through the hull and watched for land birds that only fly so far from shore.
The star compass
They memorised where dozens of stars rise and set on the horizon to hold a course.
Learn
- A living tradition. Mau Piailug, a navigator from Micronesia, guided the 1976 voyage and taught a new generation.
Test yourself
Which canoe sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti in 1976?
Hōkūleʻa. Hōkūleʻa made the voyage with traditional navigation.
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