Connecting Lines

Back in my college days on Oahu, Hawai'I, during the 90', I learned the story of Eddie Aikau, Hawaiian surfer, lifeguard, and sailor who inspires me to this day. In 1978, Eddie took part in a trip on the Hokulea, the sailing traditional voyaging canoe that was built to recover the techniques of traditional Polynesian navigators. After an accidental capsize, he did not make it back after he went for help to rescue all crewmembers during this first voyage. Today this project of Hawaiian and traditional sailing has already fought against all odds and sailed numerous voyages to Tahiti and back only using the stars, birds and traditional “Wayfinding”. Hawaiian traditional sailors have already successfully circumnavigated the world using science and ocean conservation to promote care for their pacific traditions and “care for island earth”. So Eddie's story should never be forgotten, an it is an inspiration for all the Pacific Ocean´s community. As a Peruvian, I felt that we also should have had epic stories sailing at sea. Why not? Although traditional history emphasizes the legacy of the Incas or reminds western world that the “Kontiki” project reached Polynesia by drifting and sailing from east to west today gathers more of new information demonstrating that South American Sailors had connection with Polynesians. Also, Andean cultures, pre-Inca coastal and seafaring cultures are underestimated by traditional historians. That's how my experiences of seeking out more connections in the pacific went from a library investigation into “Connecting Lines. Pacific Islanders had reached South America and vice versa thru traditional sailing. These new scientifical updates behind these Polynesian wayfinders fascinating me and this was the tip of the iceberg. New research has found that Polynesia and the Pacific sailors went from west to east against the prevailing winds & currents. “Connecting lines” is the sum of events and experiences from sailing around the world having lived on Oahu and 20 years of research to revive sailing and wayfinding easily explained in an on technical manner. In this book, being a sailor for more than 40 years, I will tell you empirical fascinating data how ocean currents and winds are as old as the earth and how science, anthropology, new findings in history must be tied together. We embark on the story of Túpac Yupanqui, the Inca navigator who would have reached Mangareva and Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the 15th century AD; using an amazing raft technology South American and Polynesian canoes. We will “connect lines” with genetic studies that indicate that a type of pre-Columbian chicken from Chile has Polynesian DNA; the sweet potato present throughout Polynesia is called “Kumara”, as it is known as the same word in Quechua language amongst others. Another line to connect is how Māori ropes and knoted cords technology resembles the Peruvian “Quipus”. I invite you to join this sailing trip that, I promise, you will not forget. Let´s Connect Lines and come on board.