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Polynesian Migration

Polynesians likely originated from the Lapita people, who originated in Melanesia, the region
north of Australia....

he origin of Polynesians, an isolated present themselves for speculation. On an isolat- Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia. Archae-
T population spanning hundreds of miles of ed island with limited resources, it is not difficult ology suggests that the migration eastward
ocean and islands, has long been regarded as to imagine that overpopulation would occasion- occurred in roughly two waves. The first wave
an interesting puzzle in human migration pat- ally occur and encourage portions of the society occurred in the Bismarck Archipelago,
terns. Today, however, strong linguistic, cultural, to migrate. Because islands have finite resources, Samoa and Tonga from 1600–1200 BC, and
and archaeological evidence from research in changes in marine ecosystems or weather could the second occurring later and spread-
both the physical and social sciences points to easily impact food supplies and place strain on a ing to the outer reaches of the Polynesian
colonization originating in Southeast Asia or In- growing society. Additionally, Polynesian society Triangle, bordered by Hawaii, Easter Island
donesia. Despite predominant easterly winds in was highly stratified, and territory was divided and New Zealand. While these islands are
the subtropical Pacific, Polynesian navigational between ari’i, or noble families. The reasons separated by thousands of miles of open
skills and the aid of cyclic or seasonal changes in that Pacific peoples dispersed from west to east ocean, Pacific islanders’ methods of sailing
the winds and currents enabled dispersal from may never be known, given the complexity of and navigation were likely well-developed
the western Pacific to islands as distant as Easter human decision making; there were probably a and quite accurate. Polynesians have been
Island and Hawaii. However, there is evidence of host of factors involved, including a limitation of described as “the great premodern seafar-
trade and contact among disparate Pacific Island resources but also including various other socio- ers” who used “sails and sophisticated navi-
societies, and it is possible that Polynesians may emotional reasons. gation techniques. Nearly every inhabitable
have come in contact with those to both their island was occupied by AD 1000.
east and west. olynesians likely originated from the Lapita
Ppeople, who originated in Melanesia, the re-
hile motives for prehistoric migration can- gion north of Australia that includes the modern
Wnot be known, a number of possibilities countries of Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, the