Polynesian Voyagers

Polynesian Voyagers opens October 1, 2016 in conjunction with Hokule’a‘s second visit to Hampton Roads. This exhibition will feature the time-honored navigational skills of the Polynesian navigators who relied on their knowledge of waves, winds, stars, and nature instead of modern instruments.

In collaboration with Hawaiian educators, the Hokule’a crew and staff, and the Polynesian community, this new exhibition is designed to evoke the feeling of what it is to be a voyager. Guests will encounter displays demonstrating the origin of the Polynesian culture and community and how they are inherently maritime focused. With an emphasis on navigational techniques that precede technology, the exhibition will guide visitors through the story of exploration and settlement of the vast Pacific islands. Polynesian Voyagers will feature the traditional supplies and methods encountered on a Polynesian voyaging canoe, and guests will be able to listen to Polynesian chants that would have been used in ancient times to share history among civilizations without a common language.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.