“... Kahiki - Hawaiian name for Tahiti but also the name of a mythical faraway land, home to various ancestors, sorcerers, and gods” (Thompson 275). As I read this line, I knew I had picked the right book. One of my favorite movies, Moana, revolves around Polynesian culture and the myths of the island of Tahiti. I always wanted to learn more about her ethnicity and heritage; this book provided me with a great variety of information. Christina Thompson’s book Sea People: The Puzzle of the Polynesian deep dives into the Pacific geography, Polynesia and its people, and European discoveries. It explores their greatest sea powers as well as their greatest sea people. Thompson meticulously uncovers enthralling questions relating to the first settlers on the Pacific islands: their origins, travels, and sources. But, what I
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Christina Thompson also shares how the Polynesians managed to do the impossible. “Not one ever reached the Hawaiian Islands”, but they did through their deep understanding and prowess of navigation (Thompson 260). The islands of Hawaii are around 1500 miles away, making it a huge challenge. But, they achieved this feat simply with a canoe and no modern instruments, demonstrating their remarkable skills and innovation. Sea People sheds light on the Polynesians and their accomplishments in seafaring - something I was never aware of before and is not talked about enough. Furthermore, the Polynesians were very unique and different compared to other groups of people. Asking who they were was difficult because their culture was so dissimilar. Polynesians transmit information solely by word of mouth. They lived in a world without writing, so knowledge conservation was crucial. This was known as an oral tradition where “only what matters to the living is retained” (Thompson 128). As I read this, I was in shock coming from a literate
Christina Thompson also shares how the Polynesians managed to do the impossible. “Not one ever reached the Hawaiian Islands”, but they did through their deep understanding and prowess of navigation (Thompson 260). The islands of Hawaii are around 1500 miles away, making it a huge challenge. But, they achieved this feat simply with a canoe and no modern instruments, demonstrating their remarkable skills and innovation. Sea People sheds light on the Polynesians and their accomplishments in seafaring - something I was never aware of before and is not talked about enough. Furthermore, the Polynesians were very unique and different compared to other groups of people. Asking who they were was difficult because their culture was so dissimilar. Polynesians transmit information solely by word of mouth. They lived in a world without writing, so knowledge conservation was crucial. This was known as an oral tradition where “only what matters to the living is retained” (Thompson 128). As I read this, I was in shock coming from a literate