Original Polynesian Migration possibly from China! Read on!

[ Edited by: filslash 2007-11-20 12:49 ]

Interesting theory which may add onto the currently traditional theory, as set forth in the article:

"The mainstream theory, not accepted by all archaeologists, is that a seafaring Austronesian culture called the Lapita, the nearest ancestors of Polynesians, set out from the Bismark Archipelago about 3,500 years ago. One stream island-hopped south to the Solomon Islands, another sailed east until they reached Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.

Here, on the edge of deep ocean space, distances between islands exceeded their sailing technology. They eventually lost contact with their origins. It was here that they became Polynesians. Polynesian gods and language and technology evolved, possibly the double-hulled voyaging canoes that took them to the most far flung Pacific islands."

PS - what area is the "Bismark Archipelago?"

Bismarck Archipelago is part of Papua NG, including New Ireland and New Britain.

i recall thinking the "golden age of chinese archaeology" show several years at the national gallery had some intriguing artifacts from prehistoric and bronze eras.

http://www.nga.gov/education/chinatp_sl03.htm

Here's something to add to the mystery. I've wondered about the connection (if there even is any) between the use of the colors red and yellow and the similar looking curved hats in Hawaiian and Tibetan culture.

Highly observant of you!

Nice connection.

The link's no good anymore. I would've like to have read that piece.

I have an interest in military history (probably alone in that among TC members) and if you read history of the Vietnam war you will eventually come across the term Montagnard. Montagnard was a name, coined by the colonial French, meaning "mountain people" that was applied to various tribes that lived in the central highlands of Vietnam and were ethnically distinct from the Vietnamese who originally migrated from China.

Most any book that talked at length about the Montagnards would describe them as "Polynesian" or "like Polynesian" or of "Polynesian stock."

I did a lazy google and found a couple of sites:

http://www.culturalorientation.net/montagnards/vpeop.html

Apparently there's a linguistic connection between some of the tribal groups and the Malayo-Polynesian language group.

It would be interesting to see if there's any info on the religous beliefs of some of these tribes such as the Rhade and Mnong and if those beliefs have any parallel in Polynesian religions. I really don't remember any mention of even animist beliefs, much less an organized mythology. I've never read of any sort of carved wooden effigies, but you never know.

[ Edited by: Kono on 2004-06-13 19:18 ]

What does this do to the Heyardahl theories? (two groups from South America arriving 500 years apart, etc.) I've only got a couple of his books under my belt so far.

On 2004-06-13 15:18, Selector Lopaka wrote:
Here's something to add to the mystery. I've wondered about the connection (if there even is any) between the use of the colors red and yellow and the similar looking curved hats in Hawaiian and Tibetan culture.

Am I wrong in recalling that either the Mayans or Aztecs ha similar headgear?

On 2004-06-13 19:00, Kono wrote:

I have an interest in military history (probably alone in that among TC members) and if you read history of the Vietnam

Kono,

On a side note, when I was in military academy we read a book by the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu entitled the Art of War. If you have an interest in military history and/or Vietnam you should read this book.

After reading it, I came to the obvious conclusion that if the US had studied the book, they would have gone farther in understanding their adversaries.

Also, as one visitor to my home once mentioned, in reference to a Hawaiian male bust, "Is that a Trojan warrior?"

-Randy

or mr. t?
:)