ANALYSE AND APPLY 6. Explain why the recording of oral histories is such urgent work. 7. Identify one value and one problem with using oral history as evidence. 8. Explain how the remains of Lapita pottery (shown in SOURCE2 ) help archaeologists trace Polynesian migration across the Pacific. EVALUATE AND COMMUNICATE 9. Discuss how the written evidence discussed in SOURCE3 is a limited view of history. Answers and sample responses for this topic are available online.
LESSON 11.3 Exploring the Polynesian Triangle
LEARNING INTENTION By the end of this lesson you should be able to explain the navigational techniques of the Polynesians and consider the enormous achievement of the people who explored the Pacific.
Tune in SOURCE1 is an example of a chart made from sticks and shells. Maps like these helped the early seafarers navigate the vast distances between the islands of Polynesia. The chart shows wave patterns and ocean currents (sticks) and islands (shells). It was a valuable tool in the absence of compasses and modern navigational instruments. These charts were called rebbelibs , medos or mattangs . 1. How do Polynesian navigational tools, like stick and shell charts, differ from maps, and how are they similar? 2. How does environmental knowledge of wave patterns and ocean currents by Polynesian explorers influence navigation today? 3. How have human migration and settlement strategies evolved from ancient Polynesian times tonow?
SOURCE1 Maps such as this showed more than just locations — they held information about wave patterns, currents and muchmore.
11.3.1 Traversing the Pacific Polynesia is a region in the Pacific Ocean bordered by Hawai’i, Rapa Nui, and Aotearoa. It covers over 2 000 000 square kilometres and is mostly water. Archaeological evidence shows that the discovery and settlement of these islands were planned. The Pacific explorers were well-prepared, carrying plants like taro and yam , and animals like rats and dogs. They created new technology for long ocean journeys and a navigation system. The word ‘Polynesia’ comes from two Ancient Greek words: π о λ́ u ς (polýs, ‘many’) and ν̃ησ о ς (nêsos, ‘island’). French scholar Charles de Brosses invented the term in 1756.
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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