John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson, author of Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, a book that both tells a part of the history of Polynesia, and tells how histories of Polynesia are constructed.
The discussion also ranges to consider different moments of cultural contact between Polynesian and European thinkers and doers. Those range from the chart Tupaia drew for Captain Cook during the “first contact” era (above) to the Hokule’a‘s triumphant reconstuction of ancient Polynesian wayfinding, in which the work of David Lewis, Brian Finney and the Bishop Planetarium (below) served as invaluable background to the navigational achievements of Mau Pialug and Nainoa Thompson.
The conversation then turns to Epeli Hau’ofa’s influential article, “Our Sea of Islands,” and the conditions that arise to separate islands–water, language, or national boundaries. Can these conditions also serve to draw islands together? The discussion turns to the much-celebrated voyage of the Hokule’a, revivals of Polynesian tattooing practice, hula dancing, and oh yes, Moana.
Finally, in Recallable Books, Christina recommends Nancy D. Munn’s The Fame of Gawa as a book that takes seriously the theories of value developed within Gawan community; Elizabeth recommends Sam Low’s documentary text Hawaiki Rising; and John, thinking broadly and archipelagically, recommends Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea novels.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia and Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All, Christina Thompson
“Ancient Voyagers in the Pacific,” Andrew Sharp
We, the Navigators: The Ancient Art of Landfinding in the Pacific, David Lewis
“Our Sea of Islands,” Epeli Hau’ofa
Moana, dir. Ron Clements and John Cusker
The Fame of Gawa: A Symbolic Study of Value Transformation in a Massim Society, Nancy D. Munn
Hawaiki Rising, Sam Low
The Books of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
Listen to the episode here:
Transcript available here:
Recall This Book 
John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson, author of Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, a book that both tells a part of the history of Polynesia, and tells how histories of Polynesia are constructed. The discussion also ranges to consider different moments of cultural contact between Polynesian and European thinkersand doers. Those Continue reading