Stick charts

These may look like simple stick decorations but they had a much more serious purpose.

The Polynesians were spread out over thousands of islands in the central and southern Pacific ocean. They were master navigators who made their way over this vast expanse of empty ocean without any of the navigation aids we associate with navigation.

This was only possible because they were keenly aware of the ocean, winds, weather and stars and they used that knowledge to determine which way to go. Individual navigators made 'stick charts' using cowrie shells to represent islands, thin strips of palm fronds displayed the routes and wave patterns. These charts were not taken on these long voyages but the navigator memorized what he needed to know. This knowledge was passed on to others on the voyages and it took many years of experience to become a master navigator. Some of these voyages have been duplicated in recent years but like many of the skills that previous generations perfected the art of navigating by listening to the environment is mostly lost in Polynesia.