Skip to main content

How did Polynesian wayfinders navigate the Pacific Ocean? - Alan Tamayose and Shantell De Silva

1,832,455 Views

22,291 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Imagine setting sail from Hawaii in a canoe. Your target is a small island thousands of kilometers away in the middle of the Pacific Ocean — a body of water that covers more than 160 million square kilometers. For thousands of years, Polynesian navigators managed voyages like this without the help of modern navigational aids. How did they do it? Alan Tamayose and Shantell De Silva explain.

How do we know that these ancient methods of wayfinding worked?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alan Tamayose, Shantell De Silva
  • Director Patrick Smith
  • Script Editor Brendan Pelsue
  • Animator Patrick Smith
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

More from The World's People and Places