Polynesian+Astronomy

=Polynesian Astronomy =

Edited by: Jeremy Sayco Fall 2015

[|Polynesian Astronomy]

__The Beginning: __

=
The early Polynesians were highly skilled sailors and navigators who sailed thousands of miles over open ocean between the Society Islands, the Marquesas, Easter Island in the east, the Hawaiian Islands in the north, and New Zealand in the southwest. Navigation was accomplished primarily, we believe, by a thorough knowledge of the stars, their rising and setting points along the horizon and their meridian passage as a function of latitude. Of course, there were other indicators in nature that helped guide them: the winds, the waves, the ocean swells, cloud formations, and birds and fish. These early Polynesian navigators would not have any type of scientific instruments or charts until 1778. A British explorer, Captain James Cook, arrived to the islands followed by numerous amounts of foreign ships. Captain James Cook introduced the them to spyglasses, sextants, compasses, clocks, and charts, and the Islanders became easily adapted to Western technology. The Hawaiians had names for hundreds of stars and other astronomical objects and concepts. Many of the words were recorded, but not their English equivalents, which were unknown to the transcribers. Since 1970's there has been a rebirth of interest in Polynesian astronomy and one of the leaders of the movement is Nianoa Thompson. Thompson was a native Hawaiian who found a real passion in ancient art. Thompson was a leader in the reconstruction of the Polynesian double-hulled voya ging canoe, the Hokule`a, and its ultimate non-instrumental navigation retracing the voyages of the ancients. =====

cited/summarized from
[|www.ifa.hawaii.edu]

__Origins of Astronomy in Hawaii __ [|www.ifa.hawaii.edu]


 * __OVERVIEW:__** This website is a great site full of information on the early Hawaiians and the origins of astronomy in Hawaii. It's full of historic pictures and defines the origins of astronomy along side the ties with Hawaiian history itself.

__**AU****THOR**:__ Walter Steiger.

__**REVIEWED**__: by Jeremy Sayco on December 3, 2015.

**__ACCURACY:__** This site seems very accurate because it's sealed with the Institute for Astronomy of University of Hawaii seal and the information is put together by the department chairman of University of Hawaii in Manoa.

__**CLARITY**__: You can tell this website is meant for high school teenagers and up because of the words and information that this website displays.

This site is easy to go through because it starts you from the beginning of history and works your way through each event very thoroughly.

__M ____auna Kea Astronomical Observatory __ [|www.britannica.com]


 * __OVERVIEW:__** This website is great for learning more about the most important and influential observatories in the world located in Hawaii, due to it's significant and outstanding observational conditions.

**__AUTHOR:__** The Editors of Encyclopedia of Britannica.

__**UPDATED:**__ December 5, 2014

__** REVIEWED: **__ December 3, 2015


 * __ ACCURACY: __** The site seems very accurate by the content and the pictures that this website contains.

**__CLARITY:__** The intended audience are for anyone who is willing to learn more about the Mauna Kea Astronomical Observatory for projects or even travel ideas.

The site was very easy to follow through and read, very well put together by the author and can attract the attention of anyone by the statistics it contains.



__Hawaiian Star Lines __ [|pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu]

__ **OVERVIEW:** __ This website is full of information about the Hawaiian star lines and the names of the constellations along with the names of the stars. This site is full of pictures and going into depth in each sub-section throughout the page for full understanding.

**"The Canoe-Bailer of Makali'i"**


 * " The Backbone " **


 * " The Chief's Fish line " **

declaimer: all photos are from [|pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu]
 * " The Kite of Kawelo " **

**__AUTHOR:__** Herb Kawainui Kane.

**__UPDATED:__** 2012

**__REVIEWED:__** Jeremy Sayco on December 7, 2015

**__ACCURACY:__** This website contains a lot of information about the Hawaiian star line and considering that it's from Hawaiian voyagers themselves, it is represented by a big name in Polynesian/Hawaiian astronomy.

**__CLARITY:__** This site was intended for high school kids and up considering the length, word choice, and high leveled graphs and information used.

The site wasn't simple at first site, but once you spend more time reading the information and take your time through the graphs it's easier to piece together.

[|reference]

__Polynesian and Micronesian Astronomy __ [|what-when-how.com]


 * __OVERVIEW:__** This website is another beginner information site for people who are trying to understand more about the culture along with the astronomical views of the Polynesians.This website is the "what, when, and how" for Polynesian Astronomy.

__AUTHOR:__ What-When-How Writing Staff

__UPDATED:__ N/A

__REVIEWED:__ by Jeremy Sayco on December 9, 2015

__ACCURACY:__ This website is an informational type based site and it looks simply based off research from other websites, books, textbooks, teachers, professionals. Overall this seems very accurate by the content that is on this website.

__CLARITY__: This information is for students and older people who are interested into the topic. It isn't interesting to look at because of how bland it looks without pictures, but the content is very up to par.

This site was pretty easy to go through and read. That's pretty much all you have to do is read it and you can understand it.



__Hawaiian terms for Stars, Planets, and Space __ <span style="background-image: url(">[|www.mauna-a-wakea.info]

OVERVIEW: This website is created to be sort of like a translation glossary. All of the words down to the basics are in the context from; star which is hoku all the way to Makulu which is Saturn. This website is great for anyone trying to learn a language or even just curious and want to know what this scientific word in english is in hawaiian.

AUTHOR: Namaka

UPDATED: N/A

REVIEWED: by Jeremy Sayco on December 9, 2015

ACCURACY: The accuracy of this website is unquestionably on point, due to the fact, that its a language and the author is Hawaiian themselves.

CLARITY: The audience would be anyone from little kids and older people, it's easy to scan through and understand. It's colorful and interesting to look at. The information is just a very interesting thing in itself.

This site contains information that is very interesting and can grab your attention pretty fast, has pictures that pop along with the colors that are on the website. There is a feedback page and a lot of them are great reviews. If you ever want to go to Hawaii especially for the star gazing at night you can use this website to communicate and to help you get around the islands and understand more about the culture and Hawaiian astrology.