Fundamentals of Satawalese Navigational Knowledge

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  • Satawal 島における伝統的航海術 : その基本的知識の記述と分析
  • Satawalトウ ニ オケル デントウテキ コウカイジュツ ソノ キホンテキ

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This paper describes some of the basic information aboutnavigational knowledge employed by the navigators of SatawalIsland, in the Central Caroline Islands of Micronesia.Most navigational knowledge covers various aspects of naturaland supernatural phenomenon, such as stars and constellations,waves, winds, sea currents, birds, fish and the like, and itfunctions, more precisely, as an operational and cognitive devicefor dead reckoning, spatial and temporal orientation, land-finding,and weather forecasting. Each information set stands more or lessby itself, and comprises a sub-system that is further organized intoa larger system. Some sub-systems are for practical use and areshared equally among the navigators, whereas others are somewhatesoteric and remain mostly as the secret knowledge of a few masternavigators.The materials described in this paper concern (1) countingand memorizing stars (ftaaflizi), (2) partnership of stars (yidowumw),and (3) canoe orientation with reference to four stars (yamas).These three sub-systems of knowledge are based on the Caroliniansidereal compass (naang lit. "heaven or sky"). In this compassstars are arranged symmetrically around the circumference of acircle, according to their positions of rising and setting on thehorizon, on which 32 positions are occupied by 15 selected stars.Originally, directional errors or discrepancy existed in thisnative compass, when compared with the magnetic compass, interms of the actual position of stars, e.g., compass bearing. However,these errors (mostly less than 20 degrees) are compensated fortechnically and are perceived as relatively insignificant in actualnavigation, since the compass enables the navigators to cognitivelyassociate one star with its partner star (yidowumw system) and witha certain set of three stars with reference to four canoe parts (yamassystem), without observing simultaneously stars at opposite directionsor at three different directions. Thus, the Carolinian siderealcompass is regarded as culturally important in the sense thatnavigators must learn it as a basic curriculum and follow it inactual sailing, and because the compass functions as a prominentdevice for space perception.

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