Landfall
The major Austronesian explorations eventually came to an end. The Austronesians had discovered most islands in the Ocean, had crossed the entire ocean from South East Asia to the Americas, as far north as Hawaii and as far south as the tiny islands well south of New Zealand.
Prow splashboard from a Trobrian Islands canoe. 870w x 630h mm.
Collection: Auckland Museum.
Collection: Auckland Museum.
As island societies became established the islanders developed strong emotional, spiritual, political, social and economic bonds to their lands. Life centred around the island home, and no longer on the endless quest to sail away looking for new ones.
Reference: Howe, KR (ed), Vaka Moana, Voyages of the Ancestors, Bateman, Auckland, 2006.