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A southern Māori perspective on stories of Polynesian polar voyaging

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 November 2021

Atholl Anderson Open the ORCID record for Atholl Anderson [Opens in a new window] ,
Tipene O’Regan ,
Puamiria Parata-Goodall ,
Michael Stevens  and
Te Maire Tau
Atholl Anderson*
Affiliation:
Te Waimaero | Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch8041, New Zealand
Tipene O’Regan
Affiliation:
Te Waimaero | Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch8041, New Zealand
Puamiria Parata-Goodall
Affiliation:
Te Waimaero | Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch8041, New Zealand
Michael Stevens
Affiliation:
Te Waimaero | Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch8041, New Zealand
Te Maire Tau
Affiliation:
Te Waimaero | Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch8041, New Zealand
*
Author for correspondence: Atholl Anderson, Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

As Ngāi Tahu (southern Maori), we take issue with widespread reference in scholarly publication to Polynesian voyagers reaching the Antarctic, an idea that originated in the translation of Rarotongan traditions in the nineteenth century. Analysis of those indicates that they contain no plausible reference to Antarctic seafaring. Southern Māori interests have extended into the Subantarctic Islands for 800 years but there is no reference to Antarctica in our historical traditions. Our archaeology and history document a southern boundary to Māori occupation at Port Ross (Auckland Islands), despite habitable islands existing further south. We think it is very unlikely that Māori or other Polynesian voyaging reached the Antarctic.

Keywords

AntarcticaRarotongan and Māori traditionsArchaeologyHistory
Type
Research Note
Information
Polar Record , Volume 57 , 2021 , e42
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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