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 to New Zealand 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 in Part One. The book’s second part travels with Maori canoe expert Matahi Brightwell and navigator Frances Cowan aboard the traditional canoe Hawaiki-nui following traditional navigation―with no modern aids―on its historic voyage from Tahiti down to New Zealand.

Richly illustrated with photos, maps and drawings, this is an essential guide to one of the world’s great stories of discovery.

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 16, 2011

Reviews

[Rafid Quayum · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) Super interesting to learn how Polynesians migrated/traveled to Aotearoa from Tahiti/eastern Polynesia, although I’m so curious to learn more about where Polynesians originally migrated from before they were in Polynesia (Taiwan? East Asia? When did they leave?). Star charts were also super cool to learn about navigating stars that rose in the east and set in the same place in the west (Polaris, Cassiopeia, Orion, Pleiades, etc.). Also, really neat to read about Matahi’s voyage to Aotearoa using traditional Polynesian techniques, although it makes no sense why the French didn’t preserve Hawaiki-nui. Great read while in New Zealand.

[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.