Pacific Navigation

A DigitalNZ Story by National Library of New Zealand Topics

More 5000 years ago expansion in the Pacific Ocean began. Navigation became an integral part of this migration process and produced some of the most sophisticated modes of nautical travel the world has ever seen. This topic focuses on Polynesian explorers and the extraordinary navigation skills they used to cross the Pacific Ocean. SCIS no. 1869064

social_sciences, arts, science, technology, history

Image: mattang

mattang

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Pacific voyaging

Pacific voyaging

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Land of Voyagers

Services to Schools

Image: Model vaka (outrigger canoe)

Model vaka

Model vaka (outrigger canoe)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Model vaka taurua (double hulled canoe)

Vaka taurua

Model vaka taurua (double hulled canoe)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Discovering the Pacific

Voyagers: Discovering the Pacific

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Waka taua, 1769

Waka taua, 1769

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Model Tipaerua (sailing canoe)

Tipaerua

Model Tipaerua (sailing canoe)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Hekenukumai Busby

Hekenukumai Busby

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Map showing voyages of the Polynesian Navigators

Polynesian voyages

Map showing voyages of the Polynesian Navigators

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Double-hulled canoes, Tonga

Double-hulled canoes

Double-hulled canoes, Tonga

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Arrival of the Maoris in New Zealand

The arrival of the Māori in New Zealand

Arrival of the Maoris in New Zealand

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Whai and navigation

Services to Schools

Roadside stories: Kupe in the Hokianga

Roadside Stories: Kupe in the Hokianga

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Waka landing places

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Waka revival

Science Learning Hub

Waka hourua

Science Learning Hub

Image: Tupaia's chart

Tupaia's chart

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Settling Polynesia

Services to Schools

Kupe sites

Services to Schools

Building a vaka

Services to Schools

Waka discovered

Services to Schools

Polynesian explorers

Services to Schools

Te lapa

Services to Schools

Vaka Taumako project

Services to Schools

Navigation

Services to Schools

The Māori waka

Services to Schools

Horouta waka resource

Services to Schools

Waka revival

Services to Schools

Wayfinding revival

Services to Schools

Pathway of the Birds

Services to Schools

Roadside Stories: Kupe and Cook in the Sounds

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Pacific migrations

Pacific migrations

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Ideas about Māori origins

Ideas about Māori origins

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Waka hourua 'Te Aurere Iti' (model voyaging canoe)

Waka hourua 'Te Aurere Iti' (model voyaging canoe)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Hōkūle'a

Services to Schools

Image: Sketch of double-hulled waka

Sketch of double-hulled waka

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Pacific migrations

Pacific migrations

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Pacific migrations: The world’s first seafarers

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Pacific canoes

Services to Schools