According to Western researchers, the Polynesians reached Antarctica 1,300 years ago Science and Ecology | D.W.

The ancient Polynesians looked at Antarctica in the 7th century, a thousand years before Western explorers, suggesting a New Zealand study re-evaluating the oral tradition and ancestral knowledge of Pacific citizens.

“We do not want to talk about discovery because we do not know the stories of other indigenous peoples, such as South America, who may have ties to Antarctica and are not in the public domain,” said Priscilla Wehi. Friday (11.06.2021). , Its chairman The study was published this week in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Although the Western world has speculated about the existence of Terra australis Ignota (southern unknown southern land) from the beginning of our era, it was not until January 27 or 28, 1820, that Fabian Gottlieb van Bellingshausen’s expedition to Russia appeared. Called Antarctica.

However, the oral tradition of the Pacific Islands indicates that the early contact of the Polynesian people with Antarctica dates back to the early 7th century, when leader Hui de Rangiora set sail from Rarotonga on the Cook Islands to Aotearoa. (New Zealand), but ended up in Antarctica by mistake.

“We have examples of life he encountered from tribes in the Cook Islands, New Zealand and elsewhere (in Polynesia) and the highest icebergs we have, which seems to be strong evidence that they were in the Antarctic waters. Can you find these glaciers?”

Ancient stories were passed down orally

The New Zealand study reveals that Chief Hui’s journey is embedded in a series of carvings of the Ngati Rarua people, descendants of the ancient Polynesians, now known as New Zealand.

He also isolated another Polynesian researcher, the New Zealand defense biologist Tamarereti, who, according to oral histories, may have traveled south to “discover the origin of the aurora australis” in the 13th century. Pacific with Antarctica.

The Maori have dedicated a pou whakairo (carved pole) to Tamaretti, located at the tail end of the Scorpio constellation, according to Maori mythology, as the protector of the oceans off the southern island of New Zealand. , Take the investigation.

Wehi stressed that numerous oral histories of traditional peoples should be explored to understand history, which is generally supported by Western records and documents of strong written tradition.

JU (efe, edition.cnn.com, tandfonline.com)