“The Polynesians had developed a sophisticated and reliable means of wayfinding based not on science and mathematics, but rather on their innate knowledge of the seas and sky.
By using the sun, stars, sea swell patterns, cloud formations, and seamarks such as bird flight habits, Polynesian navigators were able to steer their canoes over distances that amazed European navigators – including the two thousand miles between Tahiti and the Hawaiian Islands.
The Polynesian star compass was the key to finding direction at sea. The four cardinal points (north, south, east, and west) were located according to the rising and setting sun. During night voyaging, stars formed reference points. Polynesian navigators memorized the star compass as well as known islands whose locations corresponded to points of the compass. In training, a navigator would name an island as the center point, then go around the compass points naming the islands that lay in each direction.”
From Mariners Museum
