It is through the knowledge gained from thousands of years of observation of the celestial bodies that our ancestors have been able to perform feats of unimaginable courage and determination. The colonisation of the Pacific Ocean must rate as one of mans greatest feats of daring and was achieved in part by an intimate knowledge of the environment and of the heavens.

A recent history of navigation by Jack Thatcher, the navigator of Te Aurere. Also featuring video clips of Mau Piailug and Jack Thatcher.

The theory behind the main aid used for navigating with the stars

The 'houses' of various stars used for navigation and their Maori names

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