DIRECTIONS
The exploration of marine environments was dependent on the construction of ocean-going watercraft and navigation without the use of a compass.
For this assignment you will explore 3 different web pages dealing with the construction of traditional outrigger canoes in the Pacific Islands and indigenous methods for traversing the sea.
Peruse the above web pages to answer the questions below. Additional resources are available on the sidebar.
I. Vaka Taumako
1) What kinds of materials are used in the construction of a traditional outrigger canoe? What part of the canoe are each of these materials used for?
2) What kinds of tools are used in traditional canoe construction? What is probably the most important tool used by native Taumakon’s?
3) What are the main components of the ‘te puke’ voyaging canoe?
II. Micronesian Navigation
4) Briefly describe the sidereal compass.
5) What methods or devices, other than watercraft, would Micronesian voyagers use to help them navigate between islands?
6) What is the reciprocal of the star ‘Shaula’?
7) If you sail from Wolei to Ulithi in the Carolines, what star would you look for as the sun is setting?
8) What does a navigator look for to find his destination as a last resort if all other methods fail?
9) What kinds of things do navigators often use to conceptualize their geography? Give an example.