🌊 Part 1: Understanding Polynesian Navigation

1. What methods did Polynesian navigators use to find their way across the Pacific Ocean? (Check all that apply)

Reading the stars and constellations

Observing ocean swells and wave patterns

Following bird flight patterns

Using GPS technology

Watching cloud formations over islands

2. Why was voyaging important to Polynesian culture? Choose the best answer:

It was just a way to find food

It connected families, preserved history, and maintained cultural identity

It was only used for trading goods

It was a form of entertainment

3. Explain in your own words what made Polynesian navigators so skilled at ocean voyaging:

🗺️ Part 2: Mapping Polynesian Islands

4. On the map below, label the following Polynesian islands and island groups. Use the word bank provided:

Word Bank: Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), New Zealand (Aotearoa), Tahiti, Fiji

5. Draw arrows on the map above to show possible voyaging routes between the islands. Consider the distances and challenges navigators would face.

6. Match the island with its significance in Polynesian voyaging:

1. Hawaii

2. Easter Island

3. New Zealand

4. Samoa

A. One of the most remote islands reached by Polynesians

B. The northernmost point of the Polynesian triangle

C. Often considered the heart of Polynesia

D. The largest landmass settled by Polynesians

🧭 Part 3: Navigation Challenges and Skills

7. Fill in the blanks about Polynesian navigation:

Polynesian navigators used a traditional _____________ compass to read the stars. They could tell they were approaching land by observing _____________ flying back to roost in the evening. Ocean _____________ bouncing off islands helped them locate land even when it was beyond the horizon. This knowledge was passed down through _____________ from master navigators to apprentices.

8. What challenges do you think Polynesian voyagers faced during their long ocean journeys? List at least four challenges:

9. How far apart are some Polynesian islands? Research and write the approximate distance:

From Tahiti to Hawaii: _____________ kilometres

From Samoa to New Zealand: _____________ kilometres

🌏 Part 4: Polynesian Heritage in Australia

10. Why is it important for Australians to understand and respect Polynesian voyaging heritage?

Australia has no connection to Pacific Island cultures

Many Pacific Islander peoples live in Australia and contribute to our diverse society

It's only important for people who live on islands

Polynesian culture is not relevant to modern Australia

11. How do Polynesian voyaging traditions connect to the theme of migration that we see throughout Australian history?

12. Draw a traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe (vaka/waka) and label its main parts:

13. One new thing I learned about Polynesian voyages:

14. One question I still have about Polynesian navigation:

Polynesian Voyages Mapping

Polynesian Voyages Mapping

🌊 Part 1: Understanding Polynesian Navigation

🗺️ Part 2: Mapping Polynesian Islands

🧭 Part 3: Navigation Challenges and Skills

🌏 Part 4: Polynesian Heritage in Australia

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