The
last part of the earth to be inhabited by man was the great triangle of
islands in the Pacific Ocean, still known as Polynesia. Located in the
eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, this area has been the subject of
much research from persons interested in the origins and culture of the
Polynesian people. Many theories have been put forward regarding the
starting point of the migration of the people: it could come from Asia
... of America, or even a “lost continent”. Similarly, the question of
whether the move was deliberate or accidental was the subject of much
debate.*
Recent
studies in archeology and linguistics show that the Polynesian
ancestors were Austronesian speaking navigators, probably from South
East Asia. They moved through the north coast of Papua New Guinea
4000-5000 years ago, and then quickly sailed east, arriving in Fiji and
Tonga around 1000 before Christ, and Samoa around 1000 B.C. At this
time, travel stopped for a period of 1000 years, until the Marquesas
Islands are reached between year 0 and 300. With the Marquesas as the
first center of dispersion, the Hawaiian Islands, the Society Islands
and Easter Island were settled around 850 and New Zealand around year
1000.
Migration
in the vast Pacific Ocean demanded higly-competent navigators, together with society organization and sophisticated technology. Large travel
canoes should be built. Travel goods had to be stored for the journey
and for the installation of the newly discovered lands. Products such as
coconut, breadfruit, taro and sugar cane have been introduced and then
spread throughout Polynesia by these prehistoric browsers, who also
brought their dogs, pigs and their chickens.
Elements of these
navigation canoes were discovered in 1982 on the site of the former
Hotel Bali Hai in Fare, Huahine, by Dr Yosihiko Sinoto and his assistants from the Bishop Museum in Honolulu.
