Polynesians
Polynesians are a group of peoples who speak Polynesian languages and include the Māori of New Zealand, as well as the inhabitants of Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Easter Island, and the eastern islands of Fiji.
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For about 6000 years, the Polynesians settled the islands of the Pacific roughly in the extent of the so-called Polynesian Triangle. Probably due to the long isolation of the Polynesians, their original origin is very controversial. Genomic and linguistic research on the Austronesian languages suggests an origin in Taiwan. However, New Guinea is also under discussion.
The Polynesians were among the most skilled seafarers in history. They settled many of the approximately 10000 islands of the southern Pacific, including Tonga, New Zealand, Hawaii and Easter Island.
Between 200 BC and 400 AD, Polynesians sailed north, in a westerly arc to Melanesia and Micronesia, while others sailed east against the current and wind to the Cook Islands. From there, sometime between the years 1 and 600 AD, they discovered Tahiti, the Tuamotus, the Marquesas, Mangareva, and the Pitcairn Islands. They sailed out to find new islands and places for their people.
On the basis of certain cloud formations, the swell and the stars, the "water eaters" could orientate themselves on the sea. So-called staff charts, which were only used during training, showed the direction of the waves. The type of ship the Polynesians used is called an outrigger canoe and had two hulls.
For the flora and fauna of the affected islands, the settlement by the Polynesians led to a wave of extinction. Thus, the Moas and many other New Zealand species were already extinct before the arrival of the European explorers and are known to us only through bone finds. The same happened to the Moa-Nalos in Hawaii. The European settlers then caused a second wave of extinction.
Besides domestic chickens, the Polynesians kept dogs and domestic pigs as pets.
The total number of all Polynesians was estimated at just under one million in 1997.
Polynesian woman with flower wreath
See also
- Polynesia
