The slow boat model assumes that polynesian culture was influenced by gradual, complex interactions with neighboring islands before reaching polynesia. Precolumbian transoceanic contact theories speculate about possible visits to or interactions with the americas, the indigenous peoples of the americas, or both, by people from africa, asia, europe, or oceania at a time prior to christopher columbus first voyage to the caribbean in 1492 i. In the late 1800s and early 1900s various theories had maori originating in south america, north america, india, greece, egypt and israel, among other places. History, phylogeny, and evolution in polynesia escholarship. Pdf this paper reintroduces the concept of mass migration into debates. The polynesian samoan hawaiian medical terms in polynesian interconnections are dedicated to the late paramount alii leiataua le sa peter ah ching of upolu, manono, samoa, hawaii nei and pago pago, american samoa who was hospitalized at straub medical clinic hospital in honolulu, hawaii 2003.
Everett lee in his a theory of migration divides the factors that determine the decision to migrate and the process. Pdf mass migration and the polynesian settlement of new zealand. Of thor heyerdahl and andrew sharps attacks on polynesian settlement orthodoxy, heyerdahls drew the most public attention. In advances in archaeological method and theory, vol. Polynesian migration the origin of polynesians, an isolated population spanning hundreds of miles of ocean and islands, has long been regarded as an interesting puzzle in human migration patterns. This article throws light upon the top three theories of migration. How the story of moana and maui holds up against cultural truths a smithsonian scholar and student of pacific island sea voyaging both loves and hates the new disney film. Groups would then set off to start new settlements. The human settlement of the pacific in general, and the origin of the polynesians in particular, have been topics of debate for over two centuries.
Mitochondrial dna provides a link between polynesians and. Expert opinion was, however, almost universally against heyerdahls. Recently, genetic techniques involving mitochondrial dna mtdna have been used to compare the genetic profiles of polynesians with people from mainland china, southeast asia, and taiwan. They speak the polynesian languages, a branch of the. Disneys polynesian village resort disneys polynesian village resort typical standard room parking area, garden and monorail view, with one king and one single day bed or two queens and one single day bed, 404 sq. Similar types of skeletons found between polynesians and early peoples of south america b. Polynesians form an ethnolinguistic group of closely related people who are native to polynesia islands in the polynesian triangle, an expansive region of oceania in the pacific ocean. Emergence of west polynesian culture some 3,000 years ago around bc the distinctive polynesian culture and language began to emerge in west polynesia. According to this view, polynesians are mainly a part of a migration wave that came out of taiwan. Polynesian migrations over the span of 800 years, polynesians explored 16 million square miles of ocean and settled on every habitable island in the pacific. Rethinking polynesian migration and development in the pacific article pdf available in asia pacific viewpoint 503. One group suggests early polynesians may have been able.
Waves of migration to the pacific marquesas hawaii pitcairn easter island tahiti cook islands melanesian forebears polynesian forebears 50,000bc 1500bc 300ad 500bc 300ad 5000bc ad samoa fiji tonga new zealand solomons islands vanuatu migration map. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. The express train hypothesis says that polynesians come originally from taiwan by way of the philippines and melanesia. The large arrow shows the actual origin of the maori peoples polynesian ancestors around taiwan. The second theory is small boats from eastern asia. The influence of traditionalism and migration theory declined in new zealand archaeology as scholars showed that the popular sagas of maori history. Mass migration and the polynesian settlement of new.
Pacific migrations te ara encyclopedia of new zealand. The austronesian migration theory austronesian migration theory propounds on the expansion of a group of people called the austronesians from asia into the pacific by means of taiwan 6,000 years ago. Skilled navigators in doublehulled canoes gradually discovered remote islands to the east, using their knowledge of the stars and the winds to return home safely. The smaller arrows show their migration through melanesia and across the pacific. Decorated lapita pottery evolved into polynesian plainware, and there were other changes in technology and settlement. While europeans were sailing close to the coastlines of continents before developing navigational. This article is an open access publication abstract this paper reintroduces the concept of mass migration into debates. New zealand, and the samoan quota was established in 1970, permitting 1100. Polynesian origins are most immediately traced to people who arrived in the fiji, tonga, and samoa region. The polynesians were able to navigate the pacific ocean and settle on islands throughout the region.
Polynesian languages little contact with outside languages, so we expect little blending no writing system before westerners, thus no written documentation of earlier languages. About 3,000 years ago polynesian culture developed in west polynesia. Two teams of researchers describe new developments in understanding early polynesian migration. The leading theory is that polynesian ancestors started in southeast asia, and over the course of thousands of years, constructed vessels and used currents to populate offshore islands. Mass migration and the polynesian settlement of new zealand. From hawaii to new zealand, each and every migration was marked by development of different skillsets, different schools of thought, and even differing religious practices. The two main theories today are called the express train hypothesis and the slow boat hypothesis. As their skills in wayfaring and navigation grew, the polynesians sailed their doublehulled canoes for thousands of miles to the east. It was a theory proposed by peter bellwood a professor of archeology.
On the 100th anniversary of thor heyerdahls birth, look back at his historic voyage across the pacific on the primitive raft kontiki. It is theorized that some things like sweet potatoes were taken by. The first theory, beringia, is a land bridge from siberia to alaska that they walked across. For years, it was generally accepted that polynesians originated in modernday taiwan and began moving south and east about 4,000 years ago. Although this scenario of the immediate origins of the polynesians is. Researchers find possible explanation of early polynesian. Fraser was positive that in certain isolated areas, pure racial stocks could be recognized which would substantiate his theory of mass migration. Similar types of food found in south america and polynesia c. Polynesia is characterized by a small amount of land spread over a very large portion of the mid and southern pacific ocean. The polynesian migration through the south pacific is not so much a legacy of heroic adventure and superb naviga. This paper reintroduces the concept of mass migration into debates concerning the timing and nature of new zealands settlement by polynesians. They settled from the hawaiian islands in the north, to easter island in the east and new zealand in the southwest. Describe two theories of polynesian migration to hawai i.
They trace their early prehistoric origins to island southeast asia and form part of the larger austronesian ethnolinguistic group with an urheimat in taiwan. The three theories of migration occurred around 10,000 years ago. The distribution of domesticated plants and animals across polynesia at the time of european contact, and archaeological evidence of the early introduction of these, lends credence to the idea. As our knowledge of polynesia increased, it became ever more difficult to justify a theory of homogeneous physical type for the polynesian people. Stay connected to your students with prezi video, now in microsoft teams. Polynesian origins, origin, migrations, migration, polynesians. Mass migration and the polynesian settlement of new zealand richard walter1 hallie buckley2 chris jacomb1 elizabeth matisoosmith2 published online. Accommodates up to five guests plus one child under age 3 in a crib. Polynesian migrations hawaii history polynesian migrations.
Lds faith meets dna science, simon southerton, jan 20, 2005 duration. Polynesian civilization and the future colonization of space byu. Most polynesian islands and archipelagos, including the hawaiian islands and samoa, are composed of volcanic islands built by hotspots volcanoes. Population movements in the pacific islands are quite different from patterns found in. What are polynesian migrations chegg tutors online. The polynesian migration to hawaii was part of one of the most remarkable achievements of humanity. Through migration, descendants of this original lapita group spread over.
Precolumbian transoceanic contact theories wikipedia. The pacific coast migration model is a theory concerning the original colonization of the americas that proposes that people entering the continents followed the pacific coastline, huntergathererfishers traveling in boats or along the shoreline and subsisting primarily on marine resources. Migration theories the polynesian expansion across the. Theories of maori origins ideas about maori origins te. Many theories of migration had their roots in the euroamerican setting. Navigation is as much an artand a spiritual practiceas it is a science. Polynesian origins and migrations home page of alan howard.
Rediscovering polynesian navigation through experimental. What is the main reason for the polynesian migration theory. It requires enormous knowledge of the night sky and how it changes both with latitude and throughout the year. Although this scenario of the immediate origins of the polynesians. Upward revisions of new zealands chronology show that the appearance of humans on the landscape occurred extremely rapidly, and that within decades settlements had been established across the full range of climatic zones. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This is the most widely accepted theory of migration. Nonetheless, the seeds for his theory of polynesian settlement, one that takes into account the nautical abilities of the polynesians, can be found in an earlier journal entry dating back to l769.
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