Bishop Museum/Planetarium/Wayfinding

Planetarium

Over 30 years ago, I sat in this darkened planetarium and learned how Nainoa Thompson navigated the Hokule'a to Tahiti and back to Hawaii, using  Polynesian Wayfinding. I also learned Celestial Navigation from Loius Valier here, but yesterday Jean and I sat, again mesmerized, by the ancient ways of using all your senses to find your way.

Keeping the North Star on your stern and the Southern Cross on your bow and reversing the pattern as you return. Nainoa spent many hours, days and months in this very planetarium studying, taking notes and coming up with what what he believed his ancient ancestors knew intuitively. He learned that there are pairs of rising and setting stars which could assist you in establishing latitude. We watched as the planetarium skies revealed these pairs, along with Polaris(Hoku pa'a) and the Southern Cross. We learned their positions at Honolulu, Equator and Tahiti. Then we took a proposed trip to Tahiti and back to Hawaii  and we had to guess when we arrived at each location using these paired stars. I did well.

Will Kyselka, explored, watched and tried hard to keep up with the mind of Nainoa, but it was moving and learning at such a fantastic speed. Read Will's book, An Ocean in Mind, to discover how it all came about. Interestingly, the two shore birds mentioned in his book of great important are the Golden Pacific Plover and the Ruddy Turnstone. As ancient polynesians, in the south pacific, noted shore birds migrating from the northern waters meant land was present.

Bishop Museum

We explored the beautiful Halls of the museum and sat outside to listen about 20 locals, jam session of Hawaiian music and dance. What a wonderful day..so magical..., so beautiful..., so ancient.