Volcanoes & Voyaging Canoes
Editor’s note: This post will continue to evolve as I do.
Welcome back, fellow explorers and curious hearts. Can you believe we’re down to the final four flights in our Around the World series? What began as a single step across a continent has now led us deep into the Pacific, to lands carved by lava and shaped by salt water.
Today’s chapter, “Volcanoes & Voyaging Canoes,” brings us to a place where fire meets ocean, and ancient navigators once read the stars to chart their way across the sea. These nations: Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa, carry legacies of resilience, rich traditions, and deep-rooted connection to both land and water.
If you’re just joining the journey, start here with “Just the Beginning,” the full itinerary of every stop we’ve made so far. For those who’ve been with us, buckle in. This flight is wild, wondrous, and well worth the trip.
NAURU
Official name: The Republic of Nauru
Pronunciation: nau-roo
Capital: No capital city
Official language: Nauruan and English
Location: Island country in South Pacific Ocean just south of the equator in the Southern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: Near Solomon Islands
Most known for: Immense wealth from phosphate mining, once upon a time
Fun fact: World’s only republic without a capital city
Recent news article: Phosphate mining ruined Nauru. Can it find its way again? (Eileen Villegas, 2025) - https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/97630/how-phosphate-mining-ruined-nauru/
My knowledge: Not too familiar
NEW ZEALAND
Official name: New Zealand
Pronunciation: nyoo ZEE-luhnd
Capital: Wellington
Official language: English, Mãori, New Zealand Sign Language
Location: Island country in Southwestern Pacific Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: Near Australia
Most known for: Its scenery
Fun fact: Having the world’s longest place name, which is called Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. If you’re wondering, it’s 85 letters long.
Recent news article: Meet the Mãori: The First People of New Zealand (Stacey Leasca, 2025) - https://www.travelandleisure.com/lost-cultures-living-legacies-season-2-episode-6-maori-new-zealand-aotearoa-11767280
My knowledge: I know bits and pieces of information
NIUE
Official name: Niue
Pronunciation: nee-oo-ay
Capital: Alofi
Official language: English and Niuean
Location: Island nation in South Pacific Ocean
Surrounding countries: Near Samoa, Tonga, and Cook Islands
Most known for: Being “The Rock of the Pacific” due to its rugged, raised coastline
Fun fact: World’s largest Coral Atoll. In other words, a ring shaped coral reef, according to National Geographic Society
Recent news article: Tau Malolo Ha Niue: Empowering the next generation of Niueans (Atutahi Potaka-Dewes, 2025) - https://pmn.co.nz/read/language-and-culture/tau-malolo-ha-niue-empowering-the-next-generation-of-niuean-youth
My knowledge: More recently, learned this is a recognized country, so not too much
PALAU
Official name: Republic of Palau
Pronunciation: puh-lau
Capital: Ngerulmud
Official language: Palauan and English
Location: Island country in Western Pacific Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: Near Philippines
Most known for: Its marine biodiversity
Fun fact: Free of major fast food chains, focusing on local culture
Recent news article: The Pacific Diving Paradise of Palau Wants Travelers to Explore Its Cultural Depths, Too (Associated Press, 2025) - https://www.thenationalherald.com/the-pacific-diving-paradise-of-palau-wants-travelers-to-explore-its-cultural-depths-too-photos/
My knowledge: Not very much
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Official name: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Pronunciation: PAP-oo-ah Noo GIN-ee
Capital: Port Moresby
Official language: English, Tok Pisin, and Hiri Motu
Location: Island nation in South Pacific Ocean
Surrounding countries: Near Australia
Most known for: Cultural diversity with unique tribal traditions
Fun fact: Most linguistically diverse country globally with over 800 languages spoken
Recent news article: Papua New Guinea’s Genetic Past Through Ancient DNA Analysis (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 2025) - https://www.mpg.de/24825928/0603-evan-papua-new-guinea-s-genetic-past-through-ancient-dna-analysis-150495-x
My knowledge: I’m not all that familiar
SAMOA
Official name: Independent State of Samoa
Pronunciation: Saah-MOH-ah
Capital: Apia
Official language: Samoan and English
Location: Island country in South Pacific Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: Near Fiji and Tonga
Most known for: Being known as “Cradle of Polynesia” as it’s believed to be ancestral homeland
Fun fact: Being the first country to see the new day
Recent news article: People of Samoa (Sophie Foster, 2025) - https://www.britannica.com/place/Samoa-island-nation-Pacific-Ocean/People
My knowledge: I’m unfamiliar
As we close this chapter of “Volcanoes & Voyaging Canoes,” it’s clear that these island nations hold far more than stunning coastlines. Rather, they’re living stories of endurance, cultural pride, and ocean-born wisdom. From deep traditions to breathtaking beauty, each place is a reminder that history doesn’t always sit in monuments, it’s rooted in hospitality, wisdom, and tradition.
In this part of the world, community runs deep. So, move with humility, ask more than you tell, and listen, to the stories shared with you. After all, they carry the heartbeat of the Pacific.
Ready to keep flying? A new post lands soon. Until then, catch up on the full series from the beginning, and let your curiosity lean the way.
As a signature of my blog, I’d like to end this post with a suggestion to “Pass on kindness.” There’s no time like the present to Inspire Those Who Inspire You. Acts of kindness, no matter how big or small, can have a direct, positive impact on someone else. Go out there today and change someone’s life for the better!
***These are my personal opinions and may not be those of my employer.***
