What kinds of skills were taught in Polynesian sacred academies?

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In traditional Polynesian society, sacred academies served as specialized institutions dedicated to the training of priests. These priests acted as the primary repositories for the society's essential cultural knowledge, and the academies focused on teaching them the following:1

  • Traditions: The preservation and transmission of the community's history and cultural heritage.1
  • Mythology: Instruction in the sacred stories and belief systems that defined the Polynesian worldview and their relationship to the universe.12
  • Genealogies: The study of complex ancestral lineages, which were vital for fixing individuals within the hierarchical social order.12

While sacred academies were reserved for the specialized training of priests, general education in Polynesian society also included technical training in various crafts and skills, such as tattooing and canoe making, which were often passed down through family and community interactions.1