Pacific Voyagere

Opunake Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3164, 24 January 1928, Page 2

Pacific Voyagere

DARING NAVIGATORS

“MAGIC CALABASH”

A TRADITION SUSTAINED

How is it that we find the Maori inhabiting these far separated ikes athwart the Great Pacific? How comes it that legends and old-time genealogies are held in common by many scattered folk. How can we explain the fact that the Maori of New Zealand has preserved island and placed names of central and eastern Polynesia, and that the brown-skinned men of the Society and Cook groups can tell of the peopling of New Zealand in times long passed away? Mr. Elsdon Best, the late Mr. Percy Smith, Sir Maui Pomare, Dr. P.H. Buck and other writers on Maori and Polynesian questions have drawn ataion to the traditions of the Polynesian people as to planned deep-sea voyages having been made by the Natives in the past centuries. Admiral Rodman of the United States Navy (retired) who accompanied the American Fleet on its voyage to New Zealand, informed Dr. P. H. Buck that he had inquired into the question of the planned voyages of the Hawaiian Natives to Tahiti ami back in past centuries, and especially as to the use made of the “magic ta'.abafh” in navigation.

Mr. Elsdon Best, whose great woik in connection with the history traditions, life, and language of the Maori people and the Polynesian race, is now widely known, wrote to Admiral Rodman on the subject of his inqn.ries, and has received the foliovmg statement which has been printed in the United States Naval Institute Pio- 7 ceedings:

“Some twenty odd years ago, when stationed in the Hawaiian Islands in command of a small vessel I was engaged in correcting the existing charts and sailing directions of these waters and bringing them up to date. This led to more or less of an interest in the spelling and meaning of some of the native names, not the least of which was the channel between tho islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe, and also the extreme southern point of tho latter named island, both of which are called Keala-i-Kahiki, and which being translated means “The Road to Tahiti.”

This incited my curiousity and upon asking one of my acquaintances, who was born, in the islands and spoke Hawaiian perfectly to veirfy the translation he explained to me the reason for so naming the channel and point which in turn developed other and still more interesting information, ana which eventually led to solving scientifically the mystery of the “Sacred Calabash.”

“According to his story which is undoubtedly true, there was communication by sea in open native boats between Hawaii and Tahiti a distance of more than 2300 nautical miles, over the broad ocean mainly for the purpose of paying friendly visits—for Tahiti had the reputation of being a land of plenty and the natives were noted for their lavish hospitality to strangers. SIMILARITY IN LANGUAGES “At the same time it offered a means of felicitation anil exchange of friendly messages between the high chiefs, and served to perpetuate an intercourse between these groups ot islands which had the same basic language. The Hawaiins, Samoans, Tahitians, Tongaus, Marquesians, Maoris in New Zealand, and certain, other islanders came under this head, and a native of anyone of these groups will have but little difficulty in making himself understood by a native of another.”

“In further explanation of the name Ke-ala-i-Kahiki, this gentlman, a very sholarly man, who had written a history of Hawaii said that the sailing of these canoes was always "celebrated as a great event, and that it was preceded by feasting, dancing, and other ceremonies.

PREPARING FOR THE VOYAGE

“The men who composed the crew* were specially chosen for their strength, physique, prowess, endurance, skill as swimmers, in handling boats, and in catching fish and birds at sea, and their knowledge of navigation and kindred subjects. “Months before sailing they were put through a course of tests including the performance of a maximum endurance on a minimum of food and water in sailing and handling boats under adverse conditions, in righting them when capsized, and in their knowledge of astronomy and meteorology. The Hawaiins had a fair visual knowledge of the former; they knew that the sun changes its declination; that the North Star is approximately fixed, and upon this fact in connection with the Sacred Calabash depends the prinoipal point of interest in this story. KNOWLEDGE OF ASTRONOMY “They had names for the brightest stars and constelations and knew that the planets were wanderers, and so called them in their native tongue. As a matter of fact the North Star is not . exactly at the celestial .pole in the extension of the earth’s axis but is about a degree or So from it, although tha revolution of the earth on its axis brings the North star on the meridian twice a-day. However, for crude navigation and for the purposes of this story, w© will consider the North star a as being at the Pole, or 90 degrees from tlie Equator. In ordeer to better understand the following, it should he remembered that one of the usual methods of finding latitude at sea, in the Northern Hemisphere is by measuring the altitude of Polaris, of the North star and applying certain corrections to obtain the exact latitude.” “Roughly speaking, i| one were

the North Polt iKalaris would be in (he zenith of 90 iSM overhead and as one proceeds sSHTtrom the pole every degree of latitude covered reduces the altitude just the same •mount, and upon reaching (he Equator the altitude would be zero. It follows that the latitude of any place in the Northern Hemisphere is roughly equal toAihe altitude of Polaris. “Owiifcg to the geographical position of Hawaii, (in approximately 19 deg. 30 min. N.), in addition to the stars of the Northern Hemisphere, most of those in the Southern Hemisphere, except the circumpolar ones .were also visible and familiar to the natives. They had a very fair conception of the movements of the stars, | and were taught how to shape their { courses by night by them, and by the sun during the day, making due allowance for changes in azimuth.

KNOWLEDGE OF METEOROLOGY

“In the way of meteorology, living in the trade wind region, and as thenvoyage would be wholly within the trade' wind belt, they were familiar

with all conditions pertaining to it

They knew that the direction of the wind varied between south-east and

north-east, depending upon the season, and that certain seasons of the year were more propitious than others for making long sea voyages. T*in order to more fully comprehend the wonderful accomplishment of these pnmative natives, and to appreciate their endurance, resourcefulness, seamanship and navigation, in making this extraordinary voyage without any of the modern aids to navigation, out

of sight of land for nearly the whole * distance, it is necessary to familiarise ■ one’s self with the geographic location of these islands. Roughly Hawaii is in latitude 19deg. 30min. N. longitude 166 deg. OOmin., W., which makes the outbound course a little east of south and the distance over 2300 nautical miles.

VWhen the crew were considered to be in proper physical condition, and when the season was most propitious, the canoe was fully equipped and loaded with such provisions as would take the least space and yet give the greatest amount of sustenance. The sacred calabash was taken on board amidst a grand celebration in honour of the event, and after invoking the gods and making offerings and sacrifices. *‘A native historian of the Hawaiin Islands states that among the instructions given to the crew before making this voyage were: If you sail for Kahiki (Tahiti) you will discover new constellations and strange stars over the deep ocean. When you arrive at Piko-o-Wakea (Equator) you will lose sight of Hoku-paa (North star) and Newe will be the southern guiding star and the constellation Humu will stand as a guide above you. KNOWLEDGE OF NAVIGATION "There were those among the crew who versed in navigation from every angle known to these people) under their advice and guidance the instructions were to steer by the son bv day and the stars by night, principally Polaris, on a course a little to of south. This at night Would Be accomplished by keeping Polaris several degrees to the left of a north and south course. Furthermore when the celestial bodies might be obscured by clouds, knowing that the winds were generally easterly, they were to keep on the port tack; or ktep the wind on the port side. •‘They also had an intimate in fact, almost uncanny knowledge of the looks and action of the sea, that is, the effect on the waves of the strength ot the wind, its duration from any one direction, or changes in direction. Still more wonderful, and I have actually seen it demonstrated they could tell the direction of the land by its action in changing the continuity or general symmetry of the waves. For example, in one of* the South Sea grounds we hired a pilot for his local knowledge in entering the harbours of the different islands. Often without telling him our destination, in going sighting land I have called him on deck, and asked its direction, and he invariably pointed correctly, although, as in several other equally as remarkable exhibitions of his extraordinary developed facilities, ho was unable to explain how his conclusions were reached. ‘‘Nor could any of the natives in any of the groups give a clear explanation of their combination geographical and astronomical charts which in general consisted of a number of thin strips or battens of light wood lashed or seized bv cord at their crossings, and to which here and there, at these crossings and elsewhere, were a number of shells, some of which were movable.

SCIENCE OR INSTINCT? “Unquestionably these islanders had developed their powers of observation and analysis of phenomena pertaining to the sea, atmosphere, and heavens to a marvellous degree, and had put them to practical use. We find this development of faculties along useful lines among many aboriginal tribes and •*s£: W explain that, nrior to the advent of the white man, the natives built enormous canoes called pahe. . . . The Tahitians, tor example, made the hull of their canoes from the apapi tree from which logs over forty feet in length were obtained ami which were about three feet dhmetW. These were hollowed out lin'd, joined together end on end, and “ The double canoes were built up bulb with {JUmugh making them £r more seaworthy. These hulls m tern were joined together by braces, tto «Servanlng space of several between them.W npon the whole constructed a shelter creation toth tnr the preservation of food, plant , % e Ttock carried and for the proi- oart of the crew as well. m* ■» «• “ *"

' masts, and carried triangular sails oi native matting, in addition to full sets of paddles. . . , “Coming back again to the HawaiiTahiti voyage to the southward, the voyagers were aware that their course should carry them through several groups of low-lying islands or atolls, and that on communication .with any of them they could get the necessary direction and information for continuing their voyage to Tahiti. “At the end of their visit they once more provisioned their canoes and made ready for the return voyage, THE RETURN NORTH. “Here, let it be explained, dependent upon the season and latitude, the prevailing winds were from the south-east, in the vicinity of Tahiti, hauling by degrees to approximately north-east when in the latitude of Hawaii. And while it is true that these winds are neither steady in direction nor constant in force, they are, nevertheless, the prevailing winds. Having this information, the crew was directed to put their canoes on the starboard tack, and keep the wind abeam or a little forward of the beam. This, in plain English, means that in the long run their average course would carry them several hundred miles at least to windward, and to the eastward of Hawaii. “They were also aware that when approximately half-way back on their return journey, which would bo in the neighbourhood of a little to the northward of the Equator, they would raise the North Star, and from that time on they were to give heed to the Sacred Calabash. THE USE OF THE CALABASH. “Now as to the calabash itself. It is a species of gourd over three feet in length, the bottom spherial, the barrel cylindrical, and slightly tapering toward the top. Near the top a row oi four holes had been bored on a circle, 90 degrees apart, whose piano was at right angles to the longitudinal axis. “As they gained latitude to the northward, the calabash was to be through any one of these holes and over the opposite upper rim of the calabash, observations were to be made of the North Star, until, still observing through the hole, it became tangent to the upper rim. When this condition obtained, the course was to be immediately changed to west. This westerly course could be altered from time to time if necessary, so that Polaris would remain approximately tangent, thus insuring their keeping in the approximate latitude of Hawaii, and arriving at that island in due course of time.

"As a matter of fact, although crude this method of making the return Voyage, and particularly the use of the calabash for finding Hawaii, is not only based on scientific principle, no matter what may have led to its discovery and adoption, hut is practically, in « modified way, one of the most general methods of finding latitude to-day by the North Star. In fact, a sextant may be used on the same general principle involved if it he set at a constant angle and used in the same way. THE EXPLANATION. "Naturally my curiosity was arousea to see this So-called ‘Sacred Calabash, and to ascertain if it couid be reliaoly used for its reputed purpose. Obtaining permission, 1 nned it with water to the circle of the holes, and measured the angle from any one ot them across tho opposite rim, and found it to- be about 19 degrees. The water inside acted as a level, keeping the calabash in the vertical. Thus, when Polaris was on the rim its altitude was about 19 degrees, which roughly equalled the latitude of Hawaii and enabled the crew to steer west with a confidence that they would reach their destination. .... . " . Some of the records, like this, anl the migration and voyages of the Macris, to and from New Zealand, from the vicinity of Tahiti, or Rarotonga are authentic and well known, and, to my mind, form reasonable giminds for believing that those voyages were carefully planned and cxocuted, and were far less a matter ot mere chance than they were the result of logical reasoning. .. "In conclusion, let it be said, tout if the navagational features of this voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti and return, and the general geographic knowledge of the South Sea Islanders of their pa: u of the world, could be compared with some or the published charts made by early European voyagers to America, contrasting the instruments- and methods of the two, that of the Polynesians would stand a very favourable comparison.”