I took a little bit of time today before my lecture (in under an hour) to explore a small part of Napier's truly impressive biking infrastructure! Nice work, Napier! #ProfSamLectureTour
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@sundogplanets Looks like excellent inline skating territory.
@sundogplanets if you have time I highly recommend a trip out to the Gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers/Te Kauwae-a-Māui
Though I have not been recently, so not sure how it is after the landslides.
@sundogplanets Hope you get to see some of the Art Deco Napier has to offer. Napier was rebuilt in Art Deco style after an earthquake in 1931. 💚
@sundogplanets did you get to the museum? It’s great and the art deco buildings are lovely
I also got to see a beautiful and educational Māori Star Compass, and learn a few incredibly interesting tidbits about celestial navigation (and continue to try to orient myself to the southern hemisphere sky) #ProfSamLectureTour
EDIT: @ScottMGS's posts below have the full text on the sign (too much to paste in the alt-text)
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@sundogplanets @ScottMGS #Alt4You (first pic)
Waitangi Regional Park (with logo)
Ātea a Rangi Educational Trust (with logo)
Main text on the right:
Ātea a Rangi
The star compass
Like the sun, stars appear to rise in the east and set in the west. If you know where stars rise and set, the horizon can be used as a compass.
The Ātea a Rangi splits the horizon into four quadrants of wind: Tokerau, Marangai, Tonga Puāwanga and Tapatapa atiu.
The horizon also divides into 32 equal areas called whare (houses) which are the pou (carved posts) around the compass. The four main houses are Whitinga, Tomokanga, Raki and Tonga.
Stars that rise in a house in the east, also set in the same named opposite house in the west, for example Matariki rises in Kāinga ki Tokerau and sets in Kāinga ki Tapatapa atiu. If stars are seen close to the horizon, they can be used to determine direction.
On the left, a diagram of a compass, showing two halves (“Celestial Bodies Rise” and “Celestial Bodies Set”) and divided as described below:
The same seven houses repeat in all four quadrants
Rā: the sun
Kāinga: where the sun lives
Ngoi: a land bird used to find land
Manu: the waka or canoe as a bird flying across the ocean
Ngā Rangi: the heavens are where we get our clues
Ngā Reo: the navigator listens to the voices of the stars
Kore: the void where there are no clues
About the compass
The star compass was the vision of the Atea a Rangi Educational Trust.
It shows a resource used by the ancestors of the Māori to navigate sailing waka throughout the Pacific Islands. This area also marks the first place in Hawke's Bay where Europeans and Māori lived together as a community.
For many years this land was neglected and used as an illegal rubbish
dumping site. Hawke's Bay Regional Council developed the site, raising
the star compass platform, driveway and carpark above river flood risk
level and extending the wetland.
Many local community planting events have helped to improve
The wetland as a habitat for birds, fish and other creatures.
Lower right:
Ātea a Rangi Tours
(blurb leading to the URL www.atea.nz)
Oh, this is so lovely. I love learning how cultures on our globe refer to the stars.
@sundogplanets It's a tad unsettling, looking *up* Orion's belt to find Sirius! But that's hemispheres for you.
Enjoy NZ. My wife was there a few years back and loved it.
@sundogplanets On the off chance you haven't heard of this it is an interesting read about Southern navigators who used the stars and waves to get around.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/707571.The_Last_Navigator
@sundogplanets My attempt at alt text you asked for.
The same seven houses repeat in all four quadrants
Rā the sun
Kāinga where the sun lives
Ngoi a land bird used to find land
Manu the waka or canoe as a bird flying across the ocean
Ngā Rangi the heavens are where we get our clues
Ngā Reo the navigator listens to the voices of the stars
Kore the void where there are no clues