Polynesian navigators continued settling Pacific islands during the 12th century, reaching New Zealand and other remote locations through sophisticated wayfinding techniques. These voyages were guided by oral traditions including star charts, wave patterns, and ancestral narratives memorized through poetic forms that aided retention.

Polynesian navigation knowledge was encoded in chants and genealogical poetry that served as mnemonic devices for complex astronomical and oceanographic information. These oral texts demonstrate how poetry can preserve technical knowledge alongside cultural values, functioning as practical guides for survival and exploration. The settlement narratives composed during this expansion period became foundational myths for island communities, linking present inhabitants to ancestral voyagers.