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Pacific Migration      An Introduction to prehistoric study

 

Where did the Pacific people come from?   Southeast Asia or Indonesia

When did they arrive?  The first group of people to arrive in the Pacific arrived about 40,000 years ago.  These  people spoke an ancient language called Australoid. They were:      

  • Dark skinned     

  • Hunter-gatherers    

  • They lived in the interior regions of islands

  • They populated the area of western Melanesia

 

The second group of people to enter the Pacific were the Austronesian speakers.

They arrived about 5,000 years ago. (5,000 B.P.)?  B.P. Means before the present, but it is read Years Ago.

These people moved into the same general area as the Australoids

but they moved further into Melanesia as far as the Solomon islands.   Austronesian speakers were             

  • Light brown-skinned (lighter than the Australoids)?

  • Fishermen-farmers

  • Lived along the coast of islands

  • Technologically more advanced than Australoids

  • They had a canoe and navigation technology

  • They also made a kind of pottery called Lapita

Austronesians used wood, shell, or stone tools.  Jewelry was also made, these usually had a value or prestige so only certain people made them and wore them,

Why did they settle on the islands?  To look for adventure, to run away from war, to look for food, etc.

What languages did they speak?  Austrolaid (the oldest) , Austronesian (the youngest and most widespread)

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1. Australoid speakers moved into Meslanesia about 40,000 BP  (up to the Solomon islands)
2.   Austronesian speakers moved into the same area about 5,000
3.    A.  Austronesian speakers entered the high islands of western Micronesia about 3,500 BP/ 1,500 BC
3.    B.  Austronesian speakers settled the rest of Melanesia and the cradle of Polynesia about 3,500 to 2,500 BP/1,500 to 500 BC  (Fiji, Tonga, Samoa)
3.    C.  Austronesian speakers back migrated into Micronesia about 3,000 BP/ 1,000 BC  (from central Melanesia and into central and eastern Micronesia.
4.  Austronesian speakers left the cradle of Polynesia and moved into central Polynesia about 2,00 BP

 From central Polynesia (Tahiti) Austronesian speakers migrated to
A.  Hawaii  about 1,400 BP
B.  Rapa Nui  about 1,300 BP
C.  New Zealand  about  1,250 BP

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What tools, plants, and animals did they bring? 

  • Shell and stone tools (example: adze)

  • Taro, coconut, breadfruit (the three most important)

  • pigs, dogs, and chicken (although there is no proof of these for Guam)

 

The seeded breadfruit wood is used to make canoes. It is called dokdok in Chamorro and hutu is the name for the seeds. 

If prepared correctly, nearly every part of the taro is edible

How were they able to survive the long ocean voyages? They brought their own supplies for the journey.

What is the carving tool of the Pacific called?  Adze

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