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| TITLE: |
Traditional Marshallese Stickchart Navigation model : Wapepe. |
| PUBLISHED: |
[Majuro, Marshall Islands] : n.p., n.d. |
| DESCRIPTION: |
Wapepe stick chart ; col. ; 40X40 cm. |
| NOTES: |
Located on top of the Pacific Display case #1 Includes 2 sea shell on each corner of the wapepe chart |
| NOTES: |
The wapepe, a small square-shaped stick chart, is a small type of chart which shows the wave patterns that are common around all atolls. The story behind the wappepe is that it was originally brought to the Marshallese from Woleai Atoll, in Yap District of the Caroline Islands, when a boat from Woleai was lost at sea and drifted to an island in the Marshalls. The people landed, or were taken by the iroijs (chiefs) of the Marshall Islands to Kili Island where normally no people lived. All the people on the boat were killed except for two brothers. The older brother, was taken to Ebon, and he lived thee until he died, but he never had any children. The younger brother went to Lae and had one son, Tarmelu, by a Marshallese woman. After his father died, Tarmelu sailed to Ebon to see his father's older brother, and during this visit he learned about the wappepe from his uncle. Tarmelu returned to Lae and taught the people how to use the wappepe. So today it is said that the wappepe came from Lae for this is where the Marshallese people first learned of it. |
| NOTES: |
Regardless of the availability of the stick charts to learn and study the ocean, |
| NOTES: |
the Marshallese have always been able to sail by watching and feeling the movements of the ocean currents and waves, and by using the stars as guides to plot positions. |
| ELEC. ACCESS: |
http://marshall.csu.edu.au/Marshalls/html/essays/es-tmc-2.html
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| SUBJECT: |
Navigation stick chart--Republic of the Marshall Islands. |
| SUBJECT: |
Wapepe navigation chart |
| SUBJECT: |
Republic of the Marshall Islands. |
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Title Information
