Strange Wood Found on Beach by Fisherman Turns Out to Be Polynesian Canoe of Great Significance
By Andy Corbley -Mar 17, 2025
Piece of carved waka found in creek – Credit: Vincent Dix
On New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, the complete remains of a wooden boat used by the islands’ indigenous Polynesians—perhaps even to arrive there, have been found.
This monumental and unprecedented discovery will yield fascinating insights about the settlement of the island, the dates it would have occurred, and maybe even about other islands in the Pacific.
Starting 3,000 years ago, but particularly in the 13th century CE, Polynesians struck out across the Pacific and settled a huge number of the islands in the vast ocean. They sailed by the stars and other open ocean indicators like birds on large boats called ‘wakas.’
The Chatham Islands’ original inhabitants are the Moriori, and it was a father and son who first found the splinters of wood on the main island of Rekohu that led to the discovery, which one archaeologist said will go down as one of the most important finds in Polynesian history.
More:
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/strange-wood-found-on-beach-by-fisherman-turns-out-to-be-polynesian-canoe-of-great-significance/
~ ~ ~
Wikipedia article concerning "wakas" :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waka_%28canoe%29
Drawing shown in the Wikipedia article:
= new reply since forum marked as read
