Polynesian Navigation and the Discovery of New Zealand

by Jeff Evans

The Polynesian navigator Kupe is credited with the discovery of the land his expedition named Aotearoa, land of the long white cloud. How did he and the many canoes that followed find their way without modern navigational techniques through perilous seas in wooden canoes?By examining myth, star charts and contemporary Polynesian seafaring, Jeff Evans traces the methods by which the early explorers made their epic voyages.

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 16, 2011

About the author

Jeff Evans is a writer and photographer based in Auckland. He has written several books relating to waka, including Ngā Waka o Neherā, Polynesian Navigation and the Discovery of New Zealand and Waka Taua: The Maori War Canoe. Between them, these books recall Māori migration traditions, describe navigation skills used by Māori to voyage between the islands in the central Pacific and New Zealand, and introduce the reader to waka taua.

Jeff is currently working as a library assistant at Auckland Museum, and pursuing his joy of photography.

bio from his publisher

Reviews

[Roban Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part 1, the background material on what is known about the original voyagers to Aotearoa, is pretty disjointed. The second part, which is Matahi Brightwell's account of the construction and voyage of a traditional waka from Tahiti to Aoteatroa is more compelling, even moving at times.