The Polynesian Voyages: Navigating the Pacific and Settling New Lands
The Polynesians, known for their extraordinary maritime skills, began their epic journeys around 3000 BCE, moving through Southeast Asia and Indonesia before settling mid-Pacific islands. They mastered navigation using stars, sun positions, and environmental cues. By 900-800 BCE, they established settlements in Polynesia, including Tonga and Samoa. Over time, challenges like overpopulation and resource depletion led to political tensions. Despite these obstacles, their innovative dual-hulled ships enabled voyages from New Zealand to Hawaii and Easter Island, showcasing their remarkable seafaring legacy.
The Polynesian Voyages: Navigating the Pacific and Settling New Lands
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Presentation Transcript
Polynesians • 3000 BCE • Moved around Southeast Asia and Indonesia • Began to settle mid-Pacific islands • Developed charting & navigation methods • Used stars and rising & setting sun for direction
Polynesians • Central and eastern Pacific Ocean • 30,000 years ago – New Guinea populated • 20,000 years ago – Philippines occupied • 900-800 BCE – Polynesia settled • Tonga, Samoa, the Marquesas, Society Islands
Polynesians • Spread from island to island • Overpopulation and resource depletion became a problem • Politics, intertribal tension overpopulation problematic • 300-600 AD – Polynesians settled area from New Zealand, to Hawai’i to Easter Island
Polynesians • Why travel? • Religious warfare – losers banished or put to death • New technology – • Dual-hulled ships capable of carrying 100 • New navigation – position of stars • New ways of storing food
Polynesians • Navigation • Change in rhythm of wave sets could indicate an island • Flight paths of birds could indicate land • Stars told direction • Clouds over unseen islands • Smell, temperature, salinity, color of water, wind direction, type of marine life, sunrise/sunset colors all gave information
