Polynesian navigators rekindling traditional sailing technique skills

[Toddy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23359495

Brilliant stuff

I have been involved for many years with a group that built the first Scottish birlinn to be launched in Scottish waters for over four hundred years, and watching those men who built and sailed her re-learn something of the skills of our ancestors was a revelation.
This Polynesian version really does strike a chord; humanity is a land mammal species, yet we exploit the entire world, and our ancestors did it using totally renewable and 'green' resources and the free fuel, of the wind and tides.

We are islanders here, yet so few of us ever venture on the waters.

atb,
Toddy

 

[crosslandkelly]

Great article Mary, I enjoyed reading that.

 

[ashby001]

Brilliant article!
Amazing how that skill was almost lost and then all of a sudden you've now got multiple people who now know the skill to pass it on and keep doing so

 

[boatman]

Lovely story Mary and any experiment afloat is good. I have a number of books that include rediscoveries and descriptions of Polynesian navigation skills including a DVD of a Hawaiian canoe build and use. Same as for the numerous Viking reconstructions but I only know of one other Birlinn, http://www.galleyaileach.co.uk/

I am looking forward to similar trials of navigating round the UK coast using the tides and piloting by means of marks and soundings as must have been the prehistoric methods and on up to the end of sailing coasters.

 

[Toddy]

The Galgael have built two. The Gift of the Gale (build using timber from fallen trees in Glasgow's parks after a storm in '98) and Orcuan

http://blog.galgael.org/2009/08/25/orcuan-trip-to-iona/

cheers,
Mary

 

[Skaukraft]

Good article.
Even though I'm a boy from the woods and mountains I'm also a seaman so I got a bit of salt water running through my veins.
Funny thing is that I by incident saw a porogramme about the Galgael on Tv the other day.
Lovely stuff!

 

[Toddy]

Colin MacLeod visited Norway with Gehan in the late 90's and he loved the place, the people, the culture It just held such an appeal for him
His family came from Lewis. Galgael means foreign gael....basically they were the children of the mixing of the indigenous Scots and Picts and the Norwegian viking diaspora. We don't really have Danish or Swedish vikings in Scotland, it was Norwegians that came across the north coast and down the west. Maybe that's why Colin felt such kinship ?

atb,
M

 

[PDA1]

One of the "apprentices" who spent a year with Mau Piailug was Steve Thomas (known in the US as host presenter of the DIY programme "This Old House")
He wrote a book which contains the complete navigation system. It makes fascinating reading. Available from Amazon ISBN 0070645744

In 1968, Dr David Lewis used the techniques to sail from Easter island to New Zealand while sailing from the UK (via the OSTAR ) using a one of the earliest modern catamarans. That book is also good reading. (BTW, his wife kept a shadow log using a sextant just in case) "Children of three oceans" ISBN 0002111217

It really is a detailed complex system which required incredible memory of star positions and movements as well as understanding of wave patterns and ocean currents. just as complex as Europes system based on accurate measurement of star and planet angles (sextant) and complex shperical trig. and no printed tables to help.

 

[boatman]

[h=3]We the Navigators by by David Lewis and Derek Oulton is a good read on the subject.[/h]

 

[Skaukraft]

Colin MacLeod visited Norway with Gehan in the late 90's and he loved the place, the people, the culture It just held such an appeal for him
His family came from Lewis. Galgael means foreign gael....basically they were the children of the mixing of the indigenous Scots and Picts and the Norwegian viking diaspora. We don't really have Danish or Swedish vikings in Scotland, it was Norwegians that came across the north coast and down the west. Maybe that's why Colin felt such kinship ?

atb,
M

I spent the rest of last evening reading what I could find on Colin MacLeod.
Fascinating man.
I can understand his connection to parts of the Norwegian culture. I oftne feel there are stronger lines between the Norwegian and Scottish culture than between Norwegian and Swedish/Danish curlture. I've allways had a wish to visit Scottland, but haven't had the oportunity yet. Bun when I envetually do, a visit to The GalGael is on my to-do list.

 

[Toddy]

Colin's funeral walked from the boatyard to the Kirk in a sea of tartan clad folks from every walk of life. I walked beside his Mother and his Aunt. His Father said to me that he felt as though Colin lived three full lives in one short one
It's nearly eight years now, and we still miss him.

The Galgael made his coffin; I lined it and as I worked at that with Livvy, I thought about it, and all the things I'd done and people I'd met since I'd stopped to admire some beautiful woodcarvings and got talking with the man who wanted to discuss galgael with me. I knew of them from a historical/academic point of view, while he had just started to use the name for a new concept that would become the educational charity that is the Galgael. I thought of all of that but, ye Gods, MacLeod I didnae expect to be lining your coffin
I think Colin would agree with you, and if you do get across here, let me know ?

atb,
M

 

[Skaukraft]

Oh. Wasn't aware that you were so close to him.
He must have been a remarkable man.
I will let you know if/when I get a chance to come over.

 

[Goatboy]

Hi Mary,

Could I ask you a wee question? At GalGael there's a chap called Alan Torrance, he's their Workshop Steward & a Board Member. Was just wondering if he was at The Scottish School of Forestry in the late 80's/early 90's. Look really like a chap who was there at the same time as me but on a different course. Nice guy and I think was into Pictish re-enactment.

Sorry to bother you.
Colin.

 

[Toddy]

Yeah that's Alan
I first met him at the Crannog centre; he's the man who taught me to make fire by friction
I could make most things, but I hadn't ever done that, and by the time his lesson was over I could do it nine times a day on demand
He's sound and his family are lovely people I know he's been involved with Clanranald and their Strathcarron build recently.

Skaucraft, Colin was a good friend, the kind of friend you make things for and who makes things for you. I have some beautiful hand carved jewellery pieces from him and one of his stone carvings (of a dragonfly on granite) sits beside the ponds in my garden. He really was a hugely capable man, and someone who influenced people worldwide. It's no wonder he's still missed.

atb,
Mary

 

[Goatboy]

Thanks Mary,

Aye he seemed a sound chap, but didn't ever get to speak to him enough due to difference in classes. Quite distinctive that's why his picture on the website just jumped out at me.

Ta muchly.
Colin.

 

[Toddy]

He is indeed distinctive....if you look at any 'Highlander' film with Scottish extras in it, there's Alan and company. From the BBC's Restoration programme (he played Robert 11)
I can't watch them; I keep picking flaws with the costume Trisha and I watch excerpts and moan about partlets and codpieces and rags instead of hose

He's a very capable man is Alan though.

M