NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Mariner’s Museum is hosting Polynesian Voyagers, a new exhibition to honor the skills of Polynesian navigators.
In a time without modern instruments, Polynesian navigators had to rely on their knowledge of waves, winds, stars and nature to guide ships.
The exhibition opened on October 1 and will run until June 11, 2017.
Polynesian Voyagers opened in conjunction with the Hokule’a’s second visit to Hampton Roads.
The Hokule’a, a replica of a Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe, docked at the James River Fishing Pier on Friday, April 22.
The museum collaborated with Hawaiian educators, the Hokule’a crew and staff and the Polynesian community to help show guests the feeling of what it is to be a voyager.
The exhibition will feature displays showing the origin of the Polynesian culture and how the Polynesians are inherently maritime focused. Guests will be able to view the traditional supplies and methods used on a Polynesian voyaging canoe. There will also be recordings of Polynesian chants that would have been used in ancient times to share history among civilizations without a common language.
