This is a great point. There's a sadly consistent theme of simply underestimating native peoples throughout history. Polynesians were in contact with south Amer

This is a great point. There's a sadly consistent theme of simply underestimating native peoples throughout history. Polynesians were in contact with south America for centuries before Columbus for example. Their naval technology was capable of reliable navigation over vast distances in the pacific. There's genetic evidence that people went back and forth between SA and Oceania with some regularity, a feat more impressive than crossing the Atlantic, but you almost never hear it talked about.