@article{oai:minpaku.repo.nii.ac.jp:00004521,
 author = {秋道, 智彌 and Akimichi , Tomoya},
 issue = {3},
 journal = {国立民族学博物館研究報告, Bulletin of the National Museum of Ethnology},
 month = {Jan},
 note = {This paper describes some of the basic information about
navigational knowledge employed by the navigators of Satawal
Island, in the Central Caroline Islands of Micronesia.
Most navigational knowledge covers various aspects of natural
and supernatural phenomenon, such as stars and constellations,
waves, winds, sea currents, birds, fish and the like, and it
functions, more precisely, as an operational and cognitive device
for dead reckoning, spatial and temporal orientation, land-finding,
and weather forecasting. Each information set stands more or less
by itself, and comprises a sub-system that is further organized into
a larger system. Some sub-systems are for practical use and are
shared equally among the navigators, whereas others are somewhat
esoteric and remain mostly as the secret knowledge of a few master
navigators.
The materials described in this paper concern (1) counting
and 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 Carolinian
sidereal compass (naang lit. "heaven or sky"). In this compass
stars are arranged symmetrically around the circumference of a
circle, according to their positions of rising and setting on the
horizon, on which 32 positions are occupied by 15 selected stars.
Originally, directional errors or discrepancy existed in this
native compass, when compared with the magnetic compass, in
terms of the actual position of stars, e.g., compass bearing. However,
these errors (mostly less than 20 degrees) are compensated for
technically and are perceived as relatively insignificant in actual
navigation, since the compass enables the navigators to cognitively
associate one star with its partner star (yidowumw system) and with
a certain set of three stars with reference to four canoe parts (yamas
system), without observing simultaneously stars at opposite directions
or at three different directions. Thus, the Carolinian sidereal
compass is regarded as culturally important in the sense that
navigators must learn it as a basic curriculum and follow it in
actual sailing, and because the compass functions as a prominent
device for space perception.},
 pages = {617--641},
 title = {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},
 volume = {5},
 year = {1981},
 yomi = {アキミチ, トモヤ}
}