Whakatere ngā Moana I Navigating the Seas

How did Polynesian Wayfinders cross the vast Pacific Ocean without maps, compasses, or modern technology? 

Embark on a voyage of discovery and explore the remarkable knowledge that connected people across the Pacific and eventually to the shores of Taranaki. Long before modern navigational technology, skilled wayfinders read te taiao around them, using stars, ocean swells, winds, clouds, currents, and the movements of birds to travel with confidence across vast distances. 

Through discussion, and hands-on learning, ākonga will connect this voyaging knowledge with Taranaki histories and the taonga cared for in the Museum collection. By encountering taonga, traditional technology and local stories, students will see how navigation and whakapapa are woven together to shape life in a new place.