On the paths of the Wheke – Navigating by the stars
Come with us as we embark on a journey following the stars
Jack Thatcher – Master Navigator will share with us tales from his journeys crossing oceans using only the stars to guide him, through his initiation into the Order of Pwo, he’s been recognised as an accomplished oceanic wayfinder.
Master navigator Jack Thatcher is based in Tauranga and is of Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Porou and Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti descent.
Jack has navigated numerous previous waka journeys, gaining more than 35,000 nautical miles (65,000 km) of deep ocean and coastal voyaging experience. He was 32 when first asked to train as a celestial navigator and considers the decision to do this as life changing.
“Voyaging has enabled me to see the world through the eyes of my ancestors, and what I have seen is a science that is ageless, a science that has sustained a deliberate exploration of an environment that was just as vast to my ancestors as space is to us today.”
—Jack Thatcher
When: Tuesday 25th July 2023 at 5:30pm
Where: The Cargo Shed, Dive Crescent, Tauranga Waterfront.
Tickets: FREE for children and students / $5 for adults
