OCEANIC MIGRATION & CANOE BUILDING
As the inventors of the original outrigger canoe , ancient Polynesians were some of the planet ’ s most skilled navigators . With no modern tools , maps or compasses , these saltwater settlers conquered the largest ocean on the planet — inhabiting nearly every island between New Guinea and the Galápagos — by using celestial navigation , reading ocean currents and observing bird migrations .
Today , their mastery of the ocean lives on throughout the islands of Polynesia . In New Zealand , Māori canoe building holds deep practical and cultural significance . In the hands of skilled artisans , these wakas ( double-hulled canoes ) are functional works of art , honoring the remarkable legacy of the 3,000-mile journey to Aotearoa ( New Zealand ). In Hawaii , the iconic Hōkūle ´ a is a symbol of seafaring prowess , connecting modern Hawaiians to their ancestral roots and reinforcing its role as a vessel of cultural continuity .
Experiencing canoe culture is an essential part of any Polynesian vacation , whether that means seeing the artists in action at a museum demonstration , attending a ceremonial performance , embarking on a canoe excursion or even having a custom-carved vessel shipped home to you .
43