“Heyerdahl argued that the Polynesian Triangle — formed by the three island groups of Hawai’i, Easter Island, and New Zealand at its corners — was first settled by early voyagers unintentionally drifting on the easterly prevailing wind and currents. He reasoned that going against these natural forces would have required more advanced boat design and navigational skills than was available at the time. In 1976 the Polynesian Voyaging Society disproved this theory by piloting the Hōkūleʻa — a traditional double-hulled voyaging canoe — for 4,400km from Hawai’i to Tahiti. On board was Micronesian Pius “Mau” Piailug who navigated the entire distance without instruments and by reading the night sky and ocean swells.”