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The ability of the Polynesians to settle huge stretches of the Pacific might be one of the most impressive human achievements ever. Odds are they reached South

The ability of the Polynesians to settle huge stretches of the Pacific might be one of the most impressive human achievements ever. Odds are they reached South America even if we never find direct evidence (there is some).

doublec 9y ago
There's a study that found Polynesian DNA markers in indigenous Brazilian remains. It's probably what you are referring to by the some evidence. https://www.nature.com/news/dna-study-links-indigenous-brazilians-to-polynesians-1.12710 https://www.nature.com/news/dna-study-links-indigenous-brazi... I've visited Mangareva. It's a lovely island and a step in the journey to get to Pitcairn Island.
- rlander 9y ago
  Did your trip include Pitcairn Island? I'd be interested in your impressions of the place (population 50, boat every 3 months or so).
  - doublec 9y ago
    Yes it did. I visited in 2012. I put some photos online here http://cd.pn/pn2012/ http://cd.pn/pn2012/ That covers the trip from Mangareva to Pitcairn and back. I loved it on Pitcairn. The island is small but very hilly so there's more walking around and things to see than I expected. The people were friendly and welcoming. I went there via a yacht from Mangareva that was chartered through an island run travel agency. I stayed for about three weeks. There's definitely a feeling of isolation once the yacht left knowing that there's no way to leave until it comes back. I also had to adjust to no mobile phone and power only on half the day. I was constantly checking my pocket for the first few days to check mail and messages only to realise I didn't have a phone! I stayed with an island couple - accomodation fee covers food, etc. They were great. They have a shop on the island that gets stocked through the three monthly supply ship. Most of the food comes from island gardens, food growing wild and fishing. I fished a lot! There are artifacts from the Bounty and other shipwrecks around the island. Cannons, anchors, etc. There's a museum with more artifacts and island history. The church holds an original bible from the Bounty. There were a number of island events while I was there for birthdays and a market day where islanders sell there unwanted goods to other islanders or visitors. I was surprised at the number of visitors to the island. Lots of yachties ticking off their bucket list. And a surprising number of solo sailors visiting. I met a lot of interesting people. My perception may be coloured by the fact that I'm related to many people there through my grandmother who was born on the island in the early 1900s. I went there to learn about where she lived and my family ancestral history.
    - rlander 9y ago
      Thanks for sharing! Hopefully one day I'll be visiting Pitcairn myself. Btw, I infer from your comment that you descend from one of the Bounty crew members, am I correct in assuming that? If so, that trip must have been awesome since so many connections to your ancestry are still preserved there.
yongjik 9y ago
> Odds are they reached South America even if we never find direct evidence (there is some). Isn't sweet potatoes in Polynesia (which originated from South America) pretty much a proof?
- jcranmer 9y ago
  The origin of Polynesian sweet potatoes being from an old visit to South America is the most plausible origin story, but the lack of anthropological evidence is also a powerful dissuading factor. There's no oral stories of either the Polynesians or the South Americans of such a voyage taking place, like there was for the Viking colonization of Vinland (recalled in the Icelandic sagas).
  - DrScump 9y ago
    Note, however, that the Australian aboriginals' oral histories (songlines) lack any reference to coming from elsewhere, although DNA clearly demonstrates otherwise. In such cases, if any given generation omits an element from its oral history (by choice or mistake), it is lost forever.
    - flukus 9y ago
      There are two orders of magnitude difference in time though. Australian Aboriginals have been on the continent for 40-60 thousand years, Polynesians made it to Hawaii 800-2000 years ago.
- imesh 9y ago
  Here in Hawaii the Hokulea is a big deal (http://www.hokulea.com http://www.hokulea.com) because they have taken modern day people, and using the Hawaiian methods of navigation they can still get around without modern technology and figure out where to go. Showing it wasn't just Polynesians sending out random boats hoping they would hit an island.

doublec 9y ago

There's a study that found Polynesian DNA markers in indigenous Brazilian remains. It's probably what you are referring to by the some evidence. https://www.nature.com/news/dna-study-links-indigenous-brazilians-to-polynesians-1.12710 https://www.nature.com/news/dna-study-links-indigenous-brazi... I've visited Mangareva. It's a lovely island and a step in the journey to get to Pitcairn Island.

rlander 9y ago
Did your trip include Pitcairn Island? I'd be interested in your impressions of the place (population 50, boat every 3 months or so).
- doublec 9y ago
  Yes it did. I visited in 2012. I put some photos online here http://cd.pn/pn2012/ http://cd.pn/pn2012/ That covers the trip from Mangareva to Pitcairn and back. I loved it on Pitcairn. The island is small but very hilly so there's more walking around and things to see than I expected. The people were friendly and welcoming. I went there via a yacht from Mangareva that was chartered through an island run travel agency. I stayed for about three weeks. There's definitely a feeling of isolation once the yacht left knowing that there's no way to leave until it comes back. I also had to adjust to no mobile phone and power only on half the day. I was constantly checking my pocket for the first few days to check mail and messages only to realise I didn't have a phone! I stayed with an island couple - accomodation fee covers food, etc. They were great. They have a shop on the island that gets stocked through the three monthly supply ship. Most of the food comes from island gardens, food growing wild and fishing. I fished a lot! There are artifacts from the Bounty and other shipwrecks around the island. Cannons, anchors, etc. There's a museum with more artifacts and island history. The church holds an original bible from the Bounty. There were a number of island events while I was there for birthdays and a market day where islanders sell there unwanted goods to other islanders or visitors. I was surprised at the number of visitors to the island. Lots of yachties ticking off their bucket list. And a surprising number of solo sailors visiting. I met a lot of interesting people. My perception may be coloured by the fact that I'm related to many people there through my grandmother who was born on the island in the early 1900s. I went there to learn about where she lived and my family ancestral history.
  - rlander 9y ago
    Thanks for sharing! Hopefully one day I'll be visiting Pitcairn myself. Btw, I infer from your comment that you descend from one of the Bounty crew members, am I correct in assuming that? If so, that trip must have been awesome since so many connections to your ancestry are still preserved there.

yongjik 9y ago

> Odds are they reached South America even if we never find direct evidence (there is some). Isn't sweet potatoes in Polynesia (which originated from South America) pretty much a proof?

jcranmer 9y ago
The origin of Polynesian sweet potatoes being from an old visit to South America is the most plausible origin story, but the lack of anthropological evidence is also a powerful dissuading factor. There's no oral stories of either the Polynesians or the South Americans of such a voyage taking place, like there was for the Viking colonization of Vinland (recalled in the Icelandic sagas).
- DrScump 9y ago
  Note, however, that the Australian aboriginals' oral histories (songlines) lack any reference to coming from elsewhere, although DNA clearly demonstrates otherwise. In such cases, if any given generation omits an element from its oral history (by choice or mistake), it is lost forever.
  - flukus 9y ago
    There are two orders of magnitude difference in time though. Australian Aboriginals have been on the continent for 40-60 thousand years, Polynesians made it to Hawaii 800-2000 years ago.
imesh 9y ago
Here in Hawaii the Hokulea is a big deal (http://www.hokulea.com http://www.hokulea.com) because they have taken modern day people, and using the Hawaiian methods of navigation they can still get around without modern technology and figure out where to go. Showing it wasn't just Polynesians sending out random boats hoping they would hit an island.