Podcasts about sea people the puzzle

From James Cook to modern times, there's a lot to get into for part 2 of our general history of Aotearoa New Zealand! Joining us this time is a very special guest, Dani! Sources: Sources: HANZ, Thomas. Historyaotearoa.Com, 20 Apr. 2024, https://historyaotearoa.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0BMQABptIUbOg5ylpyqEphUIh6_0CvNv_K1raqlOZnQdvCEt6ICn48kov7mL1YwQ_aem_Af8K9eJ_RnvvvC5E6WCPVEwf63sYGX6libqhAoeWzaI85fhbbxoAVK9ba8-jlMQYTWQ. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024. King, Michael. Penguin History of New Zealand. Penguin, 2017. Freyberg, Paul, and Tony Ricketts. Bernard Freyberg, VC: Soldier of Two Nations. Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, 2013. McClymont, W. G. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939-45: To Greece. Department of Internal Af, 1961. Thompson, Christina. Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011. Thompson, Christina. Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia. Harper, 2022.

Often left off maps or stuck inside a seam, the history of Aotearoa is often indicative of the consequences of colonialism. Sources: HANZ, Thomas. Historyaotearoa.Com, 20 Apr. 2024, https://historyaotearoa.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0BMQABptIUbOg5ylpyqEphUIh6_0CvNv_K1raqlOZnQdvCEt6ICn48kov7mL1YwQ_aem_Af8K9eJ_RnvvvC5E6WCPVEwf63sYGX6libqhAoeWzaI85fhbbxoAVK9ba8-jlMQYTWQ. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024. King, Michael. Penguin History of New Zealand. Penguin, 2017. Thompson, Christina. Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011. Thompson, Christina. Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia. Harper, 2022. Wallis, Helen M. “Abel Tasman.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 10 Apr. 2024, www.britannica.com/biography/Abel-Tasman.

Just a few weeks ago, Chris and his family visited the Big Island of Hawaii. While there, he was completely enthralled with learning more about how the first inhabitants got to such a remote place and surrounding areas. For more than a thousand years, Polynesians have called some of the most distant islands in the Pacific Ocean home. Where did they come from, how did they get there and how did a group of people conquer the largest ocean in the world a thousand years ago? It's one of the greatest mysteries ever. Our guest this week, who has familial roots to the area, set out to understand more. Christina Thompson is editor of Harvard Review and author of “Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia.” She joins WITHpod to discuss what drew her to this story, what makes this mystery so complex, the impact of the arrival of European explorers, the limits of our understanding and more.

In small wooden canoes and with just the stars for navigation, how did the first Polynesians conquer the largest ocean on earth? For centuries this has perplexed scholars and anthropologists. The Polynesian Triangle is drawn by connecting the points of Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island and encompasses countries like Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti with each island connected to the others by common traditions of sea-faring, celestial navigation and mythology, all passed down the generations through stories and song.To unravel the mystery, Dan is joined by Opetaia Foa'i, the award-winning composer and singer who wrote the Polynesian music in Moana and whose band Te Vaka had sung the stories of their ancestors on some of the world's biggest stages for years. They're also joined by Christina Thompson, author of 'Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia' whose encyclopaedic knowledge on this fascinating subject fills in all the blanks. Together Dan, Opetaia and Christina weave music and history in this episode to unravel Polynesia's past.Music courtesy of Spirit of Play Productions, with thanks to Julie Foa'i.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up now for your 14-day free trial.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.

John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson in this rebroadcast of a 2019 Recall this Book conversation. Her Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia both relates the history of Polynesia, and explores how histories of Polynesia are constructed. The discussion considers various 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 moment ijn 1976 when the Hokule'a‘s traveled from Hawaii to Tahiti in a triumphant reconstruction of ancient Polynesian wayfinding. Thompson has fascinating thoughts on how the work of David Lewis, Brian Finney and the Bishop Planetarium 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. Planetarium at the Bishop Musuem 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 archipelagically, recommends Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels. Christina Thompson (not in our studio) 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 Read transcript here Elizabeth Ferry is Professor of Anthropology at Brandeis University. Email: ferry@brandeis.edu. John Plotz is Barbara Mandel Professor of the Humanities at Brandeis University and co-founder of the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. Email: plotz@brandeis.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson in this rebroadcast of a 2019 Recall this Book conversation. Her Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia both relates the history of Polynesia, and explores how histories of Polynesia are constructed. The discussion considers various 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 moment ijn 1976 when the Hokule'a‘s traveled from Hawaii to Tahiti in a triumphant reconstruction of ancient Polynesian wayfinding. Thompson has fascinating thoughts on how the work of David Lewis, Brian Finney and the Bishop Planetarium 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. Planetarium at the Bishop Musuem 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 archipelagically, recommends Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels. Christina Thompson (not in our studio) 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 Read transcript here Elizabeth Ferry is Professor of Anthropology at Brandeis University. Email: ferry@brandeis.edu. John Plotz is Barbara Mandel Professor of the Humanities at Brandeis University and co-founder of the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. Email: plotz@brandeis.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/australian-and-new-zealand-studies

John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson in this rebroadcast of a 2019 Recall this Book conversation. Her Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia both relates the history of Polynesia, and explores how histories of Polynesia are constructed. The discussion considers various 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 moment ijn 1976 when the Hokule'a‘s traveled from Hawaii to Tahiti in a triumphant reconstruction of ancient Polynesian wayfinding. Thompson has fascinating thoughts on how the work of David Lewis, Brian Finney and the Bishop Planetarium 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. Planetarium at the Bishop Musuem 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 archipelagically, recommends Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels. Christina Thompson (not in our studio) 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 Read transcript here Elizabeth Ferry is Professor of Anthropology at Brandeis University. Email: ferry@brandeis.edu. John Plotz is Barbara Mandel Professor of the Humanities at Brandeis University and co-founder of the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. Email: plotz@brandeis.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/archaeology

John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson in this rebroadcast of a 2019 Recall this Book conversation. Her Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia both relates the history of Polynesia, and explores how histories of Polynesia are constructed. The discussion considers various 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 moment ijn 1976 when the Hokule'a‘s traveled from Hawaii to Tahiti in a triumphant reconstruction of ancient Polynesian wayfinding. Thompson has fascinating thoughts on how the work of David Lewis, Brian Finney and the Bishop Planetarium 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. Planetarium at the Bishop Musuem 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 archipelagically, recommends Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels. Christina Thompson (not in our studio) 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 Read transcript here Elizabeth Ferry is Professor of Anthropology at Brandeis University. Email: ferry@brandeis.edu. John Plotz is Barbara Mandel Professor of the Humanities at Brandeis University and co-founder of the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. Email: plotz@brandeis.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson in this rebroadcast of a 2019 Recall this Book conversation. Her Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia both relates the history of Polynesia, and explores how histories of Polynesia are constructed. The discussion considers various 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 moment ijn 1976 when the Hokule'a‘s traveled from Hawaii to Tahiti in a triumphant reconstruction of ancient Polynesian wayfinding. Thompson has fascinating thoughts on how the work of David Lewis, Brian Finney and the Bishop Planetarium 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. Planetarium at the Bishop Musuem 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 archipelagically, recommends Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels. Christina Thompson (not in our studio) 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 Read transcript here Elizabeth Ferry is Professor of Anthropology at Brandeis University. Email: ferry@brandeis.edu. John Plotz is Barbara Mandel Professor of the Humanities at Brandeis University and co-founder of the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. Email: plotz@brandeis.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson in this rebroadcast of a 2019 Recall this Book conversation. Her Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia both relates the history of Polynesia, and explores how histories of Polynesia are constructed. The discussion considers various 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 moment ijn 1976 when the Hokule'a‘s traveled from Hawaii to Tahiti in a triumphant reconstruction of ancient Polynesian wayfinding. Thompson has fascinating thoughts on how the work of David Lewis, Brian Finney and the Bishop Planetarium 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. Planetarium at the Bishop Musuem 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 archipelagically, recommends Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels. Christina Thompson (not in our studio) 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 Read transcript here Elizabeth Ferry is Professor of Anthropology at Brandeis University. Email: ferry@brandeis.edu. John Plotz is Barbara Mandel Professor of the Humanities at Brandeis University and co-founder of the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. Email: plotz@brandeis.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

John and Elizabeth talk cultural renewal with Christina Thompson in this rebroadcast of a 2019 Recall this Book conversation. Her Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia both relates the history of Polynesia, and explores how histories of Polynesia are constructed. The discussion considers various 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 moment ijn 1976 when the Hokule'a‘s traveled from Hawaii to Tahiti in a triumphant reconstruction of ancient Polynesian wayfinding. Thompson has fascinating thoughts on how the work of David Lewis, Brian Finney and the Bishop Planetarium 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. Planetarium at the Bishop Musuem 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 archipelagically, recommends Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels. Christina Thompson (not in our studio) 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 Read transcript here Elizabeth Ferry is Professor of Anthropology at Brandeis University. Email: ferry@brandeis.edu. John Plotz is Barbara Mandel Professor of the Humanities at Brandeis University and co-founder of the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. Email: plotz@brandeis.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

David Lewis was of one of the most remarkable nautical explorers of modern times. In the mid-1960s, he took his wife and two small daughters - who were less than five years old - on a sailing trip around the world in a small catamaran. What is more, for one part of the journey, he rejected standard 20th-Century navigational equipment and relied on much older methods of finding his way across the Pacific. In fact, it was his lifelong goal to prove that ancient seafaring methods were still valuable and his research helped revive ancient Polynesian navigation methods. In his more than eventful life, he also wrote a dozen books, practised as a GP in London's East End and tackled many unclimbed peaks as a mountaineer. And he undertook hazardous trips to the Antarctic including one in which he was presumed dead. Rajan Datar is joined by David's son Barry, who is also an accomplished sailor and who accompanied David on some of his seminal voyages; Dr. Christina Thompson, the editor of Harvard Review and the author of Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia; and Ben Lowings, a yachtsman, BBC journalist and the author of David Lewis's biography entitled The Dolphin. [Photo: David Lewis sets out on his 1972 trip to the Antarctic in his 32-foot sloop Ice Bird. Credit: George Lipman; Stuart William MacGladrie/Fairfax Media/Getty Images]

From creation stories to voyager journeys, mythology and oral history are often key to our identities. In this episode Christina Thompson shines a light on some fascinating tales from Polynesian mythology and explains how these tales have been received in more recent history. Christina is the author of Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Despite sporadic food sources and the dangers of the deep sea, the remote islands of the Pacific Ocean have been home to Polynesians for more than a millennium. But what was life like for the first people to venture between Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island, to name a few? In this episode Christina Thompson explores the new evidence which can tell us more about what the ancient Polynesians ate and how they lived. From the DNA of ancient rats to the mystery of the sweet potato, this is an intriguing listen. Christina is the author of ‘Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia’. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In Sea People, Christina Thompson explores the fascinating story of Polynesia’s ancient voyagers, as well as the sailors, linguists, archaeologists, folklorists, biologists, and geographers who have puzzled over this history … The post KEMBALI20 Podcast | Christina Thompson: Sea People: the Puzzle of Polynesia appeared first on Ubud Writers & Readers Festival.

In Sea People, Christina Thompson explores the fascinating story of Polynesia’s ancient voyagers, as well as the sailors, linguists, archaeologists, folklorists, biologists, and geographers who have puzzled over this history for three hundred years. Listen in to experience a masterful mix of history, geography, anthropology, and the science of navigation. Featuring Christina Thompson and Simon Winchester.

Amy speaks with author and Harvard Review editor Christina Thompson about her book, Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, which explores the quest to understand who first settled the islands of the remote Pacific, where they came from, and how they got there. Associate Professor Gemma Carey, Research Director of the Centre for Social Impact at UNSW, discusses how the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is affecting people with a disability and/or chronic illness, and what support the government and the NDIS need to provide so people with a disability and their carers are not left behind and put at increased health risks. Plus, Ben Eltham from New Matilda on federal politics, including the latest on public health measures, social security support announcements, and what the next coronavirus economic stimulus package means for you.

Amy speaks with author and Harvard Review editor Christina Thompson about her book, Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, which explores the quest to understand who first settled the islands of the remote Pacific, where they came from, and how they got there.

Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia – Christina Thompson – 9780062060877 – Harper – Hardcover – 384 pages – $29.99 – March 12, 2019 – ebook editions also available at lower prices, varying by outlet. “I loved this book. I found Sea People the most intelligent, empathic, engaging, wide-ranging, informative, and authoritative treatment of Polynesian […]

An examination of a fascinating work on the settlement of Polynesia, with a focus on human accomplishment. (The written version of this review, in web, PDF, and ebook formats, can be found here.)

Christina Thompson is the author of Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, due out March 2019 from Harper, and Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All.

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 … Continue reading "Episode 13: Polynesia, Sea of Islands: with Christina Thompson"

It's rare for a book of non-fiction to catch the interest of the reading public in the United States, much less a book on the history of science in the Pacific. But Christina Thompson's Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia(Harper, 2019) has managed to do just that. When Europeans first discovered the Pacific they were amazed that people living as far away as Tahiti and Aotearoa/New Zealand spoke the same language, shared the same culture, and sailed between islands with an ease that confounded the European imagination. Thompson's carefully-researched and clearly-written book tells the story of historians, archaeologists, folklorists, anthropologists, and others who developed current theories of Pacific prehistory. Drawing on memoirs of both scientists and indigenous activists who are reviving traditional voyaging today, Thompson's book will likely become a standard text for anyone interested in dipping their toes in Pacific history. In this episode of the podcast, she talks with Alex Golub about how she chose to frame the book, her personal entanglements with the Pacific, her focus on little-known pioneers such as Willowdean Handy, and the politics of writing a book some might criticize as too focused on Western forms of knowledge rather than the Pacific ones. A dual citizen of Australia and the United States, Christina Thompson received her Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne. She has served as the editor of the Australian literary journal Meanjin and is currently the editor of Harvard Review. Her first book, Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All was shortlisted for the 2009 NSW Premier's Award and the 2010 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Alex Golub is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He is the author of the article "Welcoming the New Amateurs: A future (and past) for non-academic anthropologists" as well as other books and articles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's rare for a book of non-fiction to catch the interest of the reading public in the United States, much less a book on the history of science in the Pacific. But Christina Thompson's Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia(Harper, 2019) has managed to do just that. When Europeans first discovered the Pacific they were amazed that people living as far away as Tahiti and Aotearoa/New Zealand spoke the same language, shared the same culture, and sailed between islands with an ease that confounded the European imagination. Thompson's carefully-researched and clearly-written book tells the story of historians, archaeologists, folklorists, anthropologists, and others who developed current theories of Pacific prehistory. Drawing on memoirs of both scientists and indigenous activists who are reviving traditional voyaging today, Thompson's book will likely become a standard text for anyone interested in dipping their toes in Pacific history. In this episode of the podcast, she talks with Alex Golub about how she chose to frame the book, her personal entanglements with the Pacific, her focus on little-known pioneers such as Willowdean Handy, and the politics of writing a book some might criticize as too focused on Western forms of knowledge rather than the Pacific ones. A dual citizen of Australia and the United States, Christina Thompson received her Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne. She has served as the editor of the Australian literary journal Meanjin and is currently the editor of Harvard Review. Her first book, Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All was shortlisted for the 2009 NSW Premier's Award and the 2010 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Alex Golub is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He is the author of the article "Welcoming the New Amateurs: A future (and past) for non-academic anthropologists" as well as other books and articles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's rare for a book of non-fiction to catch the interest of the reading public in the United States, much less a book on the history of science in the Pacific. But Christina Thompson's Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia(Harper, 2019) has managed to do just that. When Europeans first discovered the Pacific they were amazed that people living as far away as Tahiti and Aotearoa/New Zealand spoke the same language, shared the same culture, and sailed between islands with an ease that confounded the European imagination. Thompson's carefully-researched and clearly-written book tells the story of historians, archaeologists, folklorists, anthropologists, and others who developed current theories of Pacific prehistory. Drawing on memoirs of both scientists and indigenous activists who are reviving traditional voyaging today, Thompson's book will likely become a standard text for anyone interested in dipping their toes in Pacific history. In this episode of the podcast, she talks with Alex Golub about how she chose to frame the book, her personal entanglements with the Pacific, her focus on little-known pioneers such as Willowdean Handy, and the politics of writing a book some might criticize as too focused on Western forms of knowledge rather than the Pacific ones. A dual citizen of Australia and the United States, Christina Thompson received her Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne. She has served as the editor of the Australian literary journal Meanjin and is currently the editor of Harvard Review. Her first book, Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All was shortlisted for the 2009 NSW Premier's Award and the 2010 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Alex Golub is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He is the author of the article "Welcoming the New Amateurs: A future (and past) for non-academic anthropologists" as well as other books and articles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's rare for a book of non-fiction to catch the interest of the reading public in the United States, much less a book on the history of science in the Pacific. But Christina Thompson's Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia(Harper, 2019) has managed to do just that. When Europeans first discovered the Pacific they were amazed that people living as far away as Tahiti and Aotearoa/New Zealand spoke the same language, shared the same culture, and sailed between islands with an ease that confounded the European imagination. Thompson's carefully-researched and clearly-written book tells the story of historians, archaeologists, folklorists, anthropologists, and others who developed current theories of Pacific prehistory. Drawing on memoirs of both scientists and indigenous activists who are reviving traditional voyaging today, Thompson's book will likely become a standard text for anyone interested in dipping their toes in Pacific history. In this episode of the podcast, she talks with Alex Golub about how she chose to frame the book, her personal entanglements with the Pacific, her focus on little-known pioneers such as Willowdean Handy, and the politics of writing a book some might criticize as too focused on Western forms of knowledge rather than the Pacific ones. A dual citizen of Australia and the United States, Christina Thompson received her Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne. She has served as the editor of the Australian literary journal Meanjin and is currently the editor of Harvard Review. Her first book, Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All was shortlisted for the 2009 NSW Premier's Award and the 2010 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Alex Golub is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He is the author of the article "Welcoming the New Amateurs: A future (and past) for non-academic anthropologists" as well as other books and articles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks to author Christina Thompson about her book Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia. This is an amazing book about how the Polynesians managed to navigate the Pacific without instruments, maps or even having a written language. Colonizing the remotest islands in the Pacific until the arrival of Europeans explorers they were the only people to have ever lived there. A story that is fun to read and needs to be told this is one of those lessons we all should have learned in school. Can't recommend enough!