Write Up:
For our project we chose to learn about the mathematics of ocean navigation and mapping of the traditional cultures of the Marshall Islands. Micronesians settled on these islands in the Pacific Ocean over 3000 years ago (Patowary, 2016). The Micronesians conducted ocean navigation through the use of stick charts (manoa). These stick charts “identified patterns in ocean conditions such as swells, waves, or wind” (manoa). Traditional stick charts were made out of “coconut strips, palm strips, and cowrie shells” (Knighton, 2020) and were usually around “60 to 120 cm by 60 to 120 cm” (Ascher, p.349, 1995) in size. There are three types of stick charts, namely meddo, rebellith and mattang, all serving slightly different navigational purposes (Ascher, 1995). The mattang stick charts are thought to represent wave interactions, wind patterns and swell movements all of which are happening around an island or atoll (Knighton, 2020). The navigational purposes of the mattang was demonstrated by highlighting directionality with respect to the wind as well as the land position, while isolating swells (Ascher, 1995). This type of stick chart is more abstract than the other two, with their symmetrically placed land masses and “four uniformly depicted swells from perpendicular directions” (Ascher, p.360, 1995). The next two kinds of charts, meddo and rebellith are considered more of a map than the mattang charts (Ascher, 1995). The rebellith charts are larger in size and scope, and “include the whole of the island group, or at least one of the two parts” (Lyons, p326). Despite their size, and the lack of obvious arithmetic in Micronesian society, the relative positions of the atolls and islands were accurate (Ascher, p362). The meddo stick charts represented currents and islands or atolls and the navigation between them (Knighton, 2020). They served the same purpose as the rebellith but were smaller in scope. Both the rebellith and the meddo stick charts “incorporate localized details about wave refraction, reflection, and diffraction and their interaction” (Ascher, p.366, 1995), lending to the mathematical thinking that took place by those that created and analyzed these charts.
Following our research into the mathematics of ocean navigation, our group chose to create a meddo stick chart of a few islands off the west coast of Vancouver Island. To build the map we first drew a map on paper to have an idea of what we wanted to build. To build it we decided to use branches for the sticks and rocks for the island as it is easily available. The long sticks represent the possible routes to the islands and the short ones represent the current.
Slides:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17kcszIhtNFMpQqYDtq6tZE2k7U-1Scd37qJhZg4-7dA/edit?usp=sharing
Photo of Artwork:
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