Post #430201 by Sneakytiki on Fri, Jan 23, 2009 10:43 AM

Very interesting topic. The info. seems a bit simplified however.

It is thought that the Austronesian language family and some of the the Pacific genetic lineages originated in Taiwan, spreading over the Pacific regions mentioned above.

However, the Austronesians encountered the Melanesians (descendants of an early migration from Southern India) when they reached the Southern Pacific Islands such as Fiji, New Guinea, etc.

This was the genesis of the Lapita culture. The Austonesians picked up an admixture of Melanesian genes and language while remaining on the coasts of New Guinea etc... They started a large trade culture and excelled at pottery.

Eventually some Lapita left for other lands to the East becoming Polynesians and losing their pottery, others assimilated into the New Guinea mainland.

The 3rd group in the area are the Micronesians who like the Polynesian and unlike Melanesians are LARGELY descended from Austronesians.

It is thought that Micronesia was populated from Melanesia to the South, the P. I. and Indonesia (the Indonesians being another Austronesian people) in the West, and from Polynesia to the East.

The real story is of course even far more complex than this still simplified version. Austronesians and their descendants have been called Malays in the past.

I left out the separate Melanesian sphere of Australia. I didn't discuss Indonesia because most here are not interested (though many pre tiki bamboo bars were decorated and themed with Bali and indonesian articles).

Madagascar is another topic as well... The modern population is descended from Austronesians who inter mingled with Africans and later traders from the Islamic world.

All this is still a very simplified history..