The real mystery behind Moana: after 1,700 years, why did Polynesians suddenly sail east?

By David Sear, Professor in Physical Geography, University of Southampton
Manoj Joshi, Professor of Climate Dynamics, University of East Anglia
Mark Peaple, Research Fellow, Palaeoclimate, University of Southampton

The same question drives both the plot of Moana and decades of archaeological research: why, after centuries of relative stability, did Polynesian voyagers suddenly begin settling islands thousands of kilometres away across the Pacific?

The latest Moana movie is a live-action adaptation of a Disney animated movie of the same name. While the films are fictional, they draw inspiration from the rich seafaring heritage of Polynesian peoples,…

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