The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson is a mind-blowing, unputdownable Polynesian epic.
While the book is about a specific group of people in the ancient Tongan Kingdom, exploring their beautiful culture and sometimes difficult practices, it is highly relatable to today’s world and to each individual. It is a vast book that has the universe and ocean as its backdrop, yet it is meticulous down to the sweet potato and parrot.
Parents made plans for their children’s future and safety only to result in the opposite. An obedient son betrayed his nature and sacrificed his love for nothing. Humans cut the last tree, ate the last bird, and died. There was glorious talk about honour and duty, yet people killed and raped in the name of honour and duty. Slavery existed in some societies. In other instances, entire islands were depopulated through war or migration and claimed by those in power. An ugly world that sounds all too familiar.
Alongside all this, there are the moon, stars, gardens, love, friendship, family, stories, poetry, dance, and songs, like a shimmering Milky Way in the dark showing the way. In Polynesian traditions, the Milky Way is referred to as Te Ikaroa (“the Long Fish”) or Mangōroa (“the Long Shark”), and some stories say it was placed in the sky by the demigod Māui. It symbolizes both a navigational guide and a spiritual pathway.
Last Christmas, my family and I went to see Moana. My sisters and I are fascinated by Austronesian culture, so after the movie, we watched a National Geographic documentary about it.
The documentary talked about the “Out of Taiwan” model, which suggests that the Austronesian language family began in Taiwan and spread across Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Those migrations were complex, involving interactions and blending with local peoples along the way. The main reasons for migration were survival and population growth, followed by exploration and the search for new opportunities, all of which reflected their strong seafaring culture.
The time and setting of Adam Johnson’s The Wayfinder is the Tongan Kingdom of the Polynesian branch in the 13th century. It shows how warfare and power struggles shaped island societies and eventually led to the fall of the early Tongan kingdom. During that time, another island was facing famine, and the islanders sought opportunities elsewhere. The Wayfinder, seafarers from both islands, grew up separated and imagined different futures. The ocean led them to each other, and their love story redeemed the fallen kingdom through respect for human dignity and the preservation of nature.
I was born and raised in Borneo, a place rich with indigenous cultures. Some of these groups belong to the Austronesian family. I really admire how they have embraced other influences while keeping their own identity, a heritage that goes back around 5,000 years. Knowing that part of my homeland is part of this greater past, connected by the ocean, is a wonderful feeling. That feeling was powerfully reinforced when I had the chance to read and review Adam Johnson’s book, Wayfinder.
Thank you to @fsgbooks , @mcdbooks @adam_johnson_writer and @NetGalley for this eARC.