Wayfinding

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and it seems like an excellent time to highlight the fascinating topic of wayfinding - also known as celestial navigation!

Thousands of years before sextants and compasses were invented, the Polynesians were navigating their way through the Pacific with pinpoint accuracy; the stars, the sun, ocean swells, the behavior of birds were all aspects of this specialized navigation, and this ancient skill still has students and followers to this day.

What better skill for an avid time traveler and sailor to pack into her mental suitcase for her travels through time and space? 

In her younger days, Anne (aka The Bitch Captain) learns this venerable skill from Fetu (aka Maui), a like-minded Polynesian adventurer. It’s her preferred method of navigation, even in modern times.

Anne's Prologue: “Second star to the right.” I grinned. “And straight on till morning.” The wind caught the sails and stretched them taut as I steered us into the portal. Away we went from everything my sister knew and loved and onwards towards immense possibility.

Sources:

https://archive.hokulea.com/ike/hookele/modern_wayfinding.html

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231128-what-we-can-learn-from-the-ancient-art-of-wayfinding

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/topic/aapi-heritage