Tuamotu: The Voyage of Kiwa
The great navigator Kiwa sailed across the Pacific guided by the stars, discovering the Tuamotu Archipelago. According to Tuamotuan tradition, Kiwa was sent by the gods to find new lands for the growing population of the central islands. He followed the flight paths of seabirds and the patterns of ocean swells to locate the low coral atolls hidden on the horizon. At each island, Kiwa planted coconuts, released breeding pairs of fish into the lagoons, and established the tapu that would protect the fragile atoll ecosystems. His voyages mapped the Tuamotu chain, and the navigational knowledge he