Editing Canopus (section)

===Polynesia===
Bright stars were important to the ancient [[Polynesian culture|Polynesians]] for navigation between the many islands and atolls of the Pacific Ocean. Low on the horizon, they acted as stellar compasses to assist mariners in charting courses to particular destinations. Canopus served as the southern wingtip of a "Great Bird" constellation called ''Manu'', with Sirius as the body and [[Procyon]] the northern wingtip, which divided the Polynesian night sky into two hemispheres.<ref name="Holberg">{{cite book | last=Holberg | first=J.B. | title=Sirius: Brightest Diamond in the Night Sky | date=2007 | publisher=Praxis Publishing | location=Chichester, UK | isbn=978-0-387-48941-4 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/siriusbrightestd0000holb/page/25 25–26] | url=https://archive.org/details/siriusbrightestd0000holb/page/25 }}</ref> The [[Hawaiian people]] called Canopus ''Ke Alii-o-kona-i-ka-lewa'', "The chief of the southern expanse"; it was one of the stars used by [[Hawaiʻiloa]] and Ki when they traveled to the [[Southern Ocean]].{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=198}}

The [[Māori people]] of [[New Zealand|New Zealand/Aotearoa]] had several names for Canopus. ''[[Ariki]]'' ("High-born"), was known as a solitary star that appeared in the east, prompting people to weep and chant.{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=201}} They also named it ''[[Atutahi]]'', ''Aotahi'' or ''Atuatahi'', "Stand Alone".<ref>p. 419, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p7dR2w1Wv2sC ''Mythology: Myths, Legends and Fantasies'']{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Janet Parker, Alice Mills, Julie Stanton, Durban, Struik Publishers, 2007.</ref> Its solitary nature indicates it is a ''[[Tapu (Polynesian culture)|tapu]]'' star, as ''tapu'' people are often solitary. Its appearance at the beginning of the ''Maruaroa'' season foretells the coming winter; light rays to the south indicate a cold wet winter, and to the north foretell a mild winter. Food was offered to the star on its appearance.<ref name="Best22">{{cite book|last=Best|first=Elsdon|title=Astronomical Knowledge of the Maori: Genuine and Empirical|publisher=Dominion Museum|location=Wellington, New Zealand|date=1922|pages=34–35|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-BesAstro-t1-body-d1-d6-d4.html}}</ref> This name has several mythologies attached to it. One story tells of how Atutahi was left outside the basket representing the [[Milky Way]] when [[Tāne]] wove it. Another related myth about the star says that Atutahi was the first-born child of [[Rangi and Papa|Rangi]], who refused to enter the Milky Way and so turned it sideways and rose before it. The same name is used for other stars and constellations throughout Polynesia.{{sfn|Makemson|1941|pp=200–202}} ''Kapae-poto'', "Short horizon", referred to it rarely setting as seen in New Zealand;{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=217}} ''Kauanga'' ("Solitary") was the name for Canopus only when it was the last star visible before sunrise.{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=218}}

The people of the [[Society Islands]] had two names for Canopus, as did the [[Tuamotu]] people. The Society Islanders called Canopus ''Taurua-e-tupu-tai-nanu'', "Festivity-whence-comes-the-flux-of-the-sea", and ''Taurua-nui-o-te-hiti-apatoa'' "Great-festivity-of-the-border-of-the-south",{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=259}} and the Tuamotu people called the star ''Te Tau-rari'' and ''Marere-te-tavahi'', the latter said to be the true name for the former, "He-who-stands-alone".{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=229}}