The Wayfinder is a 2025 historical epic novel by Adam Johnson set in the south Pacific during the TuâÂÂi Tonga Empire. The characters are based on the Moriori people of RÃÂkohu Island. The novel is set before Western contact with Polynesians.
Johnson was drawn to write a novel set in ancient Polynesia because of his own Native American background. His grandmother was Lakota, but he had not met her, and was compelled to learn more about cultures that used oral histories. After spending time with the Maori of New Zealand, Johnson decided to write a novel about the storytelling tradition of the Polynesian people.
On the topic, he says:
The title, The Wayfinder, represents the importance of celestial navigation to the Tongan people. The practice of wayfinding can refer to navigating the open sea without tools like a compass or clock. A revival in traditional Polynesian wayfinding is being led by Nainoa Thompson.
KÃ Ârero, the young female protagonist who is descended from Aoteora refugees. She is chosen to save her people by leaving her home island and embarking on a sea journey, which is the premise of the novel. Her name means "story" in Maori.
The Wayfinder was reviewed by The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and The Washington Post.