Book 2, Post 1

 Book 2, Post 1

I chose the book, The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World by Wade Davis because I was interested in learning more about Polynesians' mastery of navigation across the Pacific Ocean. As someone from the islands, I've always had a strong interest in learning more about the history and culture of Pacific Islander communities to deepen my own understanding and engage more mindfully with these traditions. Although the book focuses largely on Polynesia, it still has strong correlations to the cultures in Micronesia and Melanesia. It truly is incredible that these islanders were able to navigate across the waters without any modern technology, only the stars, ocean currents, wind, and bird flight patterns. 

The book so far had been engaging to read, and it's interesting to learn that Polynesians took months to travel from from one island to another. Initially, I expected this book to focus more on the firsthand perspectives of the islanders like how they passed down their legends and knowledge of navigating the open sea. While I understand the Spaniard played an important role in the islands' history, I would prefer if the narrative was centered only on the islanders' experiences and tradition. Personally, I have a bit of a vendetta against Ferdinand Magellan for everything he took from the islands. The European explorers often seem to overshadow the amazing accomplishments of the Pacific Islanders, but maybe I just haven't read far enough to see that yet.