Wayfinders

What an awesome week of Astronomy we had in the Senior Hub. We were so lucky to have a visit from SMART (Society of Māori Astronomy Research and Traditions). A group of five Wayfinders came and demonstrated to us how they navigate around the oceans on sailing waka using only the stars, moon, sun, sounds and birds.

They told us some pretty important things. Like did you know that the Wairarapa was known as a very special place of knowledge about navigating by the stars? A whare wananga, not far from Gladstone, was one of the premier places in Aotearoa for holding that knowledge.

There are different ways that they navigate during the day and night, but none of it is done with modern technology but rather traditional knowledge.

 One of our visitors was a Māori Astro-Physicist: Wow!

We felt very grateful for the special knowledge they shared with us. Ask us some questions about it and we will see what we can answer!