Hōkū
The meaning of Hoku is
"star". The Hawaiian stars were very important to the
well being of sailing. Hawaiians used the stars as natural compasses
that helped them navigate their explorations. Hawaiian navigators
depended on the stars, as well as the seas, the wind, and the currents
to travel. Stars, planets, and the moon were important to Hawaiian
astronomers when they traveled across the ocean. The way the moon
moves, and the sighting of Pleiades at sunset was the beginning
of when the growing season begun. Planets or Hoku-ake, were separated
from the stars and were named by their position in the sky, either
east of west. Other planets were given special names because of
their color, brightness, and the patterns it moves in. Before scientific
navigation, Hawaiians sailors created star maps in their minds.
Hawaiians also relied on stories they remembered, and the stars‘
positions. Hawaiians also used visual images, like fish. The Hawaiians
who sailed the greatest distances, which were thousands of miles
across open oceans, created the most detailed star maps. Hawaiian
star maps were important to navigation.
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