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The prehistory of the Pacific Islands, the period before written records begin, extends back at least 33,000 years, according to archaeological remains in the Bismarck Archipelago, and migration to the region may have begun more than 40,000 years ago. Settlers had reached every habitable island by the 2nd millennium ce. Since the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th century, the cultures, populations, and economies of the Pacific Islands have been transformed to varying extents, at first by contact with passing explorers and then, from the late 18th century, by the influence of more permanent visitors such as castaways, beachcombers, missionaries, and traders. During the 19th and 20th centuries, settlers flowed in, labourers immigrated or were brought in from other countries (predominantly India and China), and European administrators arrived. Missionaries and immigrants still make up significant segments of the population on the islands today, although European governments, with the exception of that of France, have entirely withdrawn from the region.

Historical documents for the region are chiefly of European origin and are therefore the products of people who may not accurately have depicted cultures different from their own-cultures they perceived and understood only imperfectly. This distortion can be corrected to some extent by using the findings of social anthropology and the oral traditions of the Pacific Island people, but these sources may describe the past inaccurately because they serve contemporary purposes; they do not record the past for its own sake. But the main historiographic challenge provided by the region is its diversity. Some 10,000 islands scattered across a wide expanse of ocean, a variety of cultures, hundreds of mutually unintelligible languages, and diverse historical experiences make generalizations difficult. (The arts of the region are treated in separate articles; see Oceanic art and architecture; Oceanic music and dance; and Oceanic literature.)

The influence of physical geography

Because of the distances involved, contact between islands has never been easy. In addition, the islands' physical environments are isolated and varied. The large continental islands of Melanesia have widely varied landscapes, climates, and soil types; moreover, their rugged terrain has facilitated social isolation. The smaller volcanic high islands have greater homogeneity and easily support life well above the subsistence level.

The physical environment did not determine the kinds of society that developed, but it did limit them. The large islands of Melanesia set the stage for profound cultural differences between people of the coast and those of the interior, particularly those in the more isolated valleys. Thus, Melanesia became characterized by many small groups of people, divided from each other by language and custom. There was little political and social organization, because most families and communities expended their energies on gathering food and other basic necessities. The high volcanic islands of Polynesia offered no such barriers to social and political unity. Their fertility allowed elaborate social, religious, and political rituals to develop. These geographic and cultural contrasts between the Pacific Islands, which were obvious to early European visitors, concealed a similarity: the societies all rested on the principle of reciprocity. Whether the society was small, with leadership a matter of acquiring influence rather than hereditary position, or larger, with chiefs who were looked on with awe and treated with reverence, every gift or service had to be reciprocated.

Origins of Oceanian peoples

Jules-Sébastien-César Dumont d'Urville, an early 19th-century French navigator and explorer, classified the islanders as Melanesian, Micronesian, and Polynesian. The apparent differences between the islanders were regarded as evidence of separate waves of ethnically different people out of Southeast Asia. (A discredited variant theory traced the Polynesians to South America). More recent research suggests that the differences arose within the islands themselves, through the intermixture of an original settlement of non-Austronesian-language speakers ( see Papuan languages) from Southeast Asia with a later wave of Austronesian speakers ( see Austronesian languages). The earlier wave of settlement occurred in Melanesia at least 33,000 years ago and probably, since New Guinea and Australia were then linked by land, at dates contemporaneous with Australian dates of settlement, extending back some 40,000 years or more. Secure dates in the interior of New Guinea approach 30,000 years ago. However, more sites must be uncovered to increase the level of certainty. Linguists have used a chronology of sound changes to trace the time and place of dispersion of language groups, but a considerable number of the languages of Oceania are as yet unstudied and unclassified. Geneticists have conducted studies in order to establish connections between contemporary human groups, thereby revealing past migrations, but systematic sampling has not yet been carried out.

The later Austronesian speakers, members of the prehistoric Lapita culture, which produced the well-known pottery known as Lapita ware, established themselves in the Bismarck Archipelago about 4,000 years ago. They then spread to Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, which have been regarded as the Polynesian homeland. Newer evidence, however, has led to disagreement among prehistorians about the Lapita cultural complex: it may have arrived in Fiji with a later wave of seafaring immigrants. There is also disagreement about the speed with which the Lapita culture, distinctively linked with the Polynesians, moved from Southeast Asia through Melanesia into Fiji and thence to eastern Polynesia. The Marianas were probably settled about 1500 bce. It is possible that the Marquesas were settled as early as the 2nd century bce, rather than 300 ce, a date at which settlements may have occurred in Hawaii. The Society Islands were occupied by at least the 9th century ce.

Lapita pottery Courtesy of R.C. Green

At the time of European contact, Oceanian societies had developed a technology based on stone, bone, and shell objects, and they cultivated tubers and tree fruits, most of which were of Southeast Asian origin. Genetic research has shown that some of the cultigens were native to wider areas, including New Guinea. The most notable exception was the sweet potato, which had spread from South America through most of Polynesia in pre-European times but only marginally into Melanesia. There were three main groups of domesticated animals: pigs, dogs, and chickens. The coastal people had developed fishing techniques and considerable skills as sailors. Navigation between the closer islands was well developed, and regular trade may have occurred between several islands. Some skills were lost; pottery, for example, disappeared in Samoa and the Marquesas shortly after initial settlement.

European exploration

The 16th and 17th centuries

The world of the Pacific Islands was not a static one, but changes were slow compared with those that attended European contact. Vasco Núñez de Balboa was the first European to sight the Pacific, in 1513; seven years later Ferdinand Magellan rounded South America and sailed across the ocean, missing the main island groups but probably encountering Pukapuka Atoll, in the Tuamotu Archipelago, and Guam. After his death in the Philippines, his expedition encountered some of the Carolines. These northern islands were further explored by the Spaniards as they established a galley trade between Manila, in the Philippines, and Acapulco, in western Mexico. The next major Spanish explorations were made by Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira and Pedro Fernández de Quirós. In 1567 the former set out from Peru to discover the great southern continent that was believed to exist in the South Pacific. He reached the Solomons but failed to find them again on his second journey, during which he died. In 1606 his chief pilot, Quirós, after finding part of the Tuamotu Archipelago, reached the northern Cook Islands, Tikopia (a small Solomon Islands atoll), and the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu). One of his companions, Luis Váez de Torres, charted southeastern New Guinea and then the strait (later named for him) between that island and Australia, although the discovery was unknown to later sailors. These Spanish expeditions were motivated by the search for riches, by zeal to extend Christianity, and, in the case of Quirós, by an interest in exploration for its own sake. But with the voyage of Torres, the Spanish effort was ended.

Oceanic voyages of Ferdinand Magellan and his crew, 1519-22 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Kenny Chmielewski

Thereafter, the Dutch, who were already established in Indonesia, entered the Pacific. They too looked for a southern continent. In 1615-16 the Dutch navigator Jakob Le Maire traveled from the east through the Tuamotus to Tonga and New Ireland and New Hanover in the Bismarck Archipelago. In 1642 Abel Janszoon Tasman, sailing from Batavia (now Jakarta), the Dutch headquarters in the East Indies, saw New Zealand, Tasmania, Tonga, some of the Fiji Islands, and New Britain. The Dutch were primarily interested in commerce; they found none. Tasman thought that New Zealand was part of the great southern continent.

The effect of these visitors on Oceania was transitory. The Europeans stayed for periods of at most a few months. Their contacts with the islanders were based on simple barter, but the demands they made on food supplies often caused hostilities in which some European and many islanders' lives were lost, as on Guadalcanal, in Solomon Islands, and in the Marquesas during Mendaña's visits.

The 18th century

During the early 18th century, the extent of Oceania was further revealed. The English buccaneer William Dampier visited New Hanover, New Britain, and New Ireland in command of a Royal Navy ship. Dampier's journey was a forerunner of the voyages of scientific exploration that followed, and he proved that those islands were separated from each other and from Australia. In 1722 the Dutch admiral Jacob Roggeveen crossed the Pacific from east to west on a voyage of exploration that also had commercial objectives. He reached Easter Island, more of the Tuamotu Archipelago, the northern islands of the Society group, and some of the Samoan islands.

William Dampier Courtesy of the American Geographical Society

These voyages were not essentially different from earlier ones, but they too foreshadowed the scientific interest of the later 18th century. Further study was delayed by European wars. But in 1765 the English admiral John Byron (grandfather of poet Lord George Gordon Byron), who was sent by the British Admiralty in search of the supposed southern continent, visited more of the Tuamotus and the southern Gilberts. In 1767 Samuel Wallis and Philip Carteret followed, but their ships were separated as they entered the Pacific. Wallis reached Tahiti, more of the Tuamotus, and the Society Islands, while Carteret found Pitcairn Island and revisited the Solomons that Mendaña had visited, although he did not so identify them. This was left to the French following Louis-Antoine de Bougainville's visit in 1768, during which he also charted some of the New Hebrides and Rossel Island, in the Louisiade Archipelago.

Admiral John Byron Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Dampier's A New Voyage Round the World and Bougainville's description of the "noble savage" in Tahiti were particularly influential in Europe. The interest their journeys created was in part responsible for the instructions given to the greatest of all 18th-century explorers of Oceania, James Cook. After three voyages he left others little to do but fill in occasional details of Oceania. Cook was sent (1768-71) to observe the transit of the planet Venus at Tahiti in 1769 and then to search for the great southern continent. He reached some of the Society Islands, but he also circumnavigated New Zealand, and he defined the limits of eastern Australia. During his second voyage (1772-75), he proved that there was no southern continent, but he also charted further lands in Oceania: in the Tuamotus, the Cooks, the Marquesas, Fiji, Niue, Tonga, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Norfolk Island. During his third voyage (1776-79), which was mainly concerned with the North Pacific, he located some of the Tongan group, Christmas Island ( Kiritimati Atoll), and the Sandwich Islands ( Hawaii), where he was killed in 1779. He had completed the main work of exploration with an exactitude previously unknown. Although his contacts with islanders were not essentially different from those of his predecessors, his relations with them were nevertheless more prolonged and more humane. His exploration of eastern Australia, through the account of his naturalist, Joseph Banks, was of great importance in Oceania because it led to the founding of towns on the Australian coast, relatively close to the islands.

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Pacific Islands - Pacific Islands - Early period: The prehistory of the Pacific Islands, the period before written records begin, extends back at least 33,000 years, according to archaeological remains in the Bismarck Archipelago, and migration to the region may have begun more than 40,000 years ago.

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Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The capital city is Hanga Roa.

It is famous for its 887 huge statues called Moai, made by the early Rapa Nui people. Easter Island also has a huge crater called Rano Kau at the edge of the island. In the crater there is a natural lake and it is one of only three bodies of fresh water on the island.

Easter Island a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much of the island is protected in the Rapa Nui National Park.

The introduction of diseases carried by European colonizers and slave raiding devastated the population in the 1800s. Introduced animals, first rats and then sheep, were largely responsible for the island's loss of native flora.

The history of Easter Island is rich and controversial. Its inhabitants have suffered famines, civil war, slave raids, and near total loss of forests. The population has declined steeply more than once. The islanders have left a cultural legacy that is famous.

300-400 AD was thought to be the date of the first settlement of Easter Island, which is about the same time as the arrival of the first settlers on Hawaii. However, new results in radiocarbon dating show that Polynesia and Rapa Nui were settled between 700 to 1,100 AD.

The island was most probably settled by Polynesians who navigated in canoes or catamarans from the Marquesas Islands, 3,200 km (2,000 miles) away, or the Gambier Islands (Mangareva, 2,600 km (1,600 miles) away. When Captain Cook visited the island, one of his crew members, who was a Polynesian from Bora Bora, was able to communicate with the Rapa Nui.

According to oral traditions written down by missionaries in the 1860s, the island originally had a very clear class system, with an ariki, high chief, who had great power over nine other clans and their chiefs. A French navigator, Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse, found 2,000 people on the island when he arrived in 1786. A major slave raid from Peru in 1862, followed by epidemics of smallpox, reduced the population to only 111 people by 1877. By that time, Catholic missionaries had settled on Easter Island and begun to convert the population to Christianity, a process that was completed by the late 19th century. In 1888, Chile annexed Easter Island, leasing much of the land for sheep raising. The Chilean government appointed a civilian governor for Easter Island in 1965, and the island's residents became full Chilean citizens.

The high chief was the eldest descendent, through firstborn lines, of the island's legendary founder, Hotu Matu'a. The most visible part of the culture was the making of very large statues called moai that represented deified ancestors. It was believed that the living had a relationship with the dead where the dead provided everything the living needed. Most settlements were on the coast and moai were erected all along the coastline, watching over their descendants in the settlements before them, with their backs toward the spirit world in the sea.

The most important myths are:

Tangata manu, the Birdman cult which was practiced until the 1860s.

Makemake, is an important god.

Aku-aku, the guardians of the sacred family caves.

Moai-kava-kava a ghost man of the Hanau epe (long-ears.)

Climate and weather

The climate of Easter Island is subtropical maritime. The lowest temperatures are in July and August (18 °C) and the highest in February (maximum temperature 28 °C), the summer season in the southern hemisphere. Winters are quite mild. The rainiest month is April, though the island has year-round rainfall.

Images for kids

A View of the Monuments of Easter Island, Rapanui, c. 1775-1776 by William Hodges. The earliest known painting of Easter Island.

Easter Island, Salas y Gómez Islands, South America and the islands in between

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Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The capital city is Hanga Roa. It is famous for its 887 huge statues called Moai, made by the early Rapa Nui people. Easter Island also has a huge crater called Rano Kau at the edge of the island.

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Oʻahu's Most Authentic Lūʻau | Polynesian Cultural Center

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Tahitian Polynesian Culture | Experience Tahiti at PCC

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Explore intriguing cultural facts about Tahiti and discover how dance, art, and societal values shape the rich heritage of this Polynesian paradise.

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Portuguese and Spanish navigators sailed the Pacific Ocean in the 1500s, but there is no firm evidence that Europeans reached New Zealand before 1642.

In that year the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sailed in search of the vast continent which many Europeans thought might exist in the South Pacific. Dutch merchants hoped this land would offer new opportunities for trade. Tasman sighted New Zealand on 13 December 1642, but after a bloody encounter with Māori in what he called 'Murderers' Bay' (now Golden Bay/Mohua) on the 19th, he left without going ashore. Tasman then sailed up the west coast of the North Island but did not establish how far east land extended.

European exploration before 1769

John Byron's voyage of 1764-66 is generally considered the beginning of serious English interest in the Pacific, which was encouraged by imperial rivalries with Spain, the Netherlands and France. In 1767 Samuel Wallis became the first European to visit Tahiti.

A new expedition: Cook's First Voyage

By the time Wallis returned to England in May 1768, another expedition to the Pacific was already being organised. The Royal Society had proposed to the British Admiralty that the transit of Venus (the passage of the planet Venus across the face of the sun) be observed in the South Pacific. This observation, combined with others elsewhere, would make it possible to accurately calculate the distance from the Earth to both Venus and the sun. When Wallis returned with news of Tahiti, the expedition was instructed to go there to make the observations.

Video courtesy of Island Productions Aotearoa Ltd.

Lieutenant James Cook was appointed to command the expedition. Cook was approaching 40 and had 10 years' experience in the Royal Navy, mostly in North American waters. Previous to the navy, Cook had worked in the coal trade, which turned out to be an advantage: the ship for the expedition was a former coal ship, a relatively small vessel of 368 tons, just 32 m long and 7.6 m broad.

The ship, renamed Endeavour, departed from Plymouth on 26 August 1768 with 94 men aboard. After entering the Pacific around Cape Horn, it arrived in Tahiti on 13 April 1769 and spent almost four months there.

One of Cook's key companions was the gentleman naturalist Joseph Banks. Wealthy enough to indulge his interests, Banks paid for another botanist, the Swede Dr Daniel Solander, and three draughtsmen (artists) to join the expedition.

Because of its scientific emphasis, Cook's voyage has often been viewed more favourably than Tasman's. However, the English, like the Dutch, also wished to expand trade and empire - the British Empire had political, strategic and economic expansion in its sights. Cook included in his reports information about the resources of the lands he visited, and the suitability of those lands for settlement by Britain.

The third key figure aboard the Endeavour was Tupaia, a Tahitian arioi (high priest) who came on board at Tahiti. Until recent decades Tupaia's crucial contribution has been largely invisible in accounts of Cook's voyage. Tupaia was an expert navigator and helped Cook draw a chart showing the locations of more than 70 islands in relation to Tahiti.

British Library Reference: ADD MS 21593c.

Once the planetary observations had been made, Cook's expedition was to locate Tasman's outline of New Zealand and establish how far it extended to the east. The Endeavour sailed south into uncharted waters and then west. On 6 October 1769, the surgeon's boy sighted the high hills of Aotearoa.

Video courtesy of Island Productions Aotearoa Ltd.

According to some accounts, astonished Māori who saw the strange vessel from shore thought it was a floating island or the legendary bird Ruakapanga from Hawaiki. The people of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa were the first to meet Cook when he anchored. Conflict arose when the crew went ashore to seek water and supplies, and killed or wounded several Māori. (See also: Early Encounters.)

The Endeavour then sailed south, before returning to the north, travelling up around Cape Reinga and down the North Island's west coast to Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui. Longer stops occurred at Uawa (Tolaga Bay), Te Whanganui-o-Hei (Mercury Bay) and Pēwhairangi (the Bay of Islands).

At Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui, Cook anchored at Meretoto/Ship Cove, a haven he returned to on each subsequent voyage. From a high point on Arapawa Island he first saw the narrow strait that now bears his name. Sailing through this strait, he sailed up the east coast of the North Island until he confirmed it was indeed an island, then down the east coast of the South Island and round the southern tip of Stewart Island/Rakiura.

After restocking water and wood at Rangitoto ki te Tonga/D'Urville Island, Cook sailed west to chart the east coast of 'New Holland' (Australia) and called at the Dutch colony of Batavia (now Jakarta), where Tupaia died of illness. Cook arrived back in England, having circumnavigated the globe, on 13 July 1771.

Cook's second and third voyages

Cook's first voyage had confirmed to Europeans that New Zealand was not a vast southern land. A French expedition under Jean François Marie de Surville had also visited the northern North Island at the same time. Yet there still remained unexplored ocean to the east of New Zealand and further south.

On his second voyage (1772-75) Cook used New Zealand as a base for probes south and east which finally proved there was no such continent. The expedition had two ships: HMS Resolution, commanded by Cook, and HMS Adventure, commanded by Tobias Furneaux. Both ships sailed from England on 13 July 1772 and spent time in New Zealand waters between excursions into the unexplored parts of Antarctica and the Pacific.

State Library of New South Wales, Mitchell Library: PXD 11 f.32a

On his third voyage (1776-79) Cook again commanded the Resolution, with Charles Clerke in command of the Discovery. Cook paid a last visit to New Zealand, staying from 12 to 25 February 1777 at 'our old station', Ship Cove in Queen Charlotte Sound, before sailing into the north Pacific and through Bering Strait to the north coast of Siberia. He was killed in an avoidable incident at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, on 14 February 1779.

New Zealand's people, flora and fauna

Cook's three voyages had touched all three corners of the Polynesian triangle - New Zealand, Hawaii and Rapa Nui (Easter Island) - and he and his associates recognised that 'the same nation' was spread over a vast extent of ocean. The scientist Johann Reinhold Forster, who travelled on the second voyage, identified what became known as the Austronesian language group.

Cook's first voyage provided Europe with its first knowledge of the Māori people. The observations of Cook, Banks, Tupaia and others on the Endeavour are still valuable sources of information about Māori life at the time of the first encounters.

Having spent a total of 328 days on the coast, Cook and those with him left a vivid and comprehensive visual and written record of the country's natural history. Few lands newly discovered by Europeans were so comprehensively documented. Banks' and Solander's collections of plants and their descriptions laid the foundations for modern New Zealand botany.

Exploration by other nations

At the same time as Cook was in New Zealand, and soon after, explorers from a number of other nations visited. As Cook rounded the top of the North Island in December 1769, the French explorer Jean François Marie de Surville was as little as 40 km to the south-west, just missing what would have been a historic meeting. In mid-December de Surville reached the east coast of the Far North, spending two weeks in Doubtless Bay.

On the heels of de Surville, in 1772 Marc Joseph Marion du Fresne spent more than two months in the Bay of Islands while undertaking extensive repairs. From the 1770s, New Zealand was used as a base for explorers seeking more challenging destinations. On his way to survey the north-west coast of North America, British naval officer George Vancouver spent three weeks in Dusky Sound in November 1791. In February 1793 the Italian explorer Alessandro Malaspina also called in to Dusky Sound on his way to Australia as the leader of a Spanish scientific expedition. A quarter of a century later, the German Fabian von Bellingshausen was sent to continue the work of Cook's later voyages by exploring the southern polar regions. His Russian expedition visited Queen Charlotte Sound for a week, using it as a base as Cook had. In 1824 the French explorer Louis Isidore Duperrey had a two-week stopover in the Bay of Islands before continuing on his circumnavigation of the world.

Duperrey's second-in-command in 1824 was Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville. The expedition that Dumont d'Urville led in 1826 is considered to be the last important voyage in the story of the European discovery of New Zealand. D'Urville intended to complete Cook's chart of New Zealand; he explored Tasman and Admiralty Bays, and much of the east coast of the North Island.

For more information about these explorers, see the Te Ara entries on the French explorers and explorers from other nations.

Find more about European exploration on Te Ara

Objects that tell stories

Biographies on the DNZB

Further Information

European discovery of New Zealand on Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

Abel Tasman 1642 - a site devoted to the 370th anniversary of Tasman's visit to New Zealand.

Captain Cook Society - a useful starting point for further research into Cook's life and work.

The Endeavour replica - images from the Australian National Maritime Museum.

James Cook Birthplace Museum - covers almost every conceivable aspect of Cook's life and work.

New Zealand place names given during Cook's voyages - explore the stories of 30 of the place names associated with Cook and the Endeavour on Land Information New Zealand's website.

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Portuguese and Spanish navigators sailed the Pacific Ocean in the 1500s, but there is no firm evidence that Europeans reached New Zealand before 1642 when the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sailed in search of the vast continent which many Europeans thought might exist in the South Pacific.

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Te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa, the Pacific Ocean, was one of the last areas of the earth to be explored and settled by human beings. It was only around 3000 years ago that people began heading eastwards from New Guinea and the Solomon Islands further into the Pacific.

Great skill and courage was needed to sail across vast stretches of open sea. Between 1100 and 800 BCE these voyagers spread to Fiji and West Polynesia, including Tonga and Samoa.

Around 1000 years ago people began to inhabit the central East Polynesian archipelagos, settling the closest first.

New Zealand was the last significant land mass outside the Arctic and Antarctic to be settled. The Polynesian culture emerged in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga from the earlier Lapita culture, which had formed from the mixing of the Melanesian peoples already living in Near Oceania with migrants from the vicinity of Taiwan. Around the end of the first millennium CE Polynesians sailed east into what is now French Polynesia, before migrating to the Marquesas and Hawaii, Rapa Nui/Easter Island and New Zealand, the far corners of the 'Polynesian triangle'.

A broad range of evidence - including radiocarbon dating, analysis of pollen (which measures vegetation change) and volcanic ash, DNA evidence, genealogical dating and studies of animal extinction and decline - suggests that New Zealand's first permanent settlements were established between 1250 and 1300.

These migrants, who sailed in double-hulled canoes from East Polynesia (specifically the Society Islands, the southern Cook Islands and the Austral Islands in French Polynesia), were the ancestors of the Māori people.

British Library Board. Ref: 23920 f.48

Kupe, Toitehuatahi and Turi

According to many tribal narratives, Kupe was the first Pacific explorer to discover the islands of New Zealand. Stories about his exploration on his canoe, the Matawhaorua or Matahorua, differ from region to region but often feature a fight with a great wheke (octopus). Many New Zealand place names, preserved by later generations of Māori people, recall his journey.

Cliff Whiting, for the New Zealand Geographic Board, Crown Copyright reserved.

Toitehuatahi (Toi), another early visitor from Hawaiki (the traditional Māori place of origin), is an important ancestor for many Māori people.

One of the captains remembered as voyaging to New Zealand was Turi, the captain of the Aotea canoe. Stories of Turi and Kupe are intertwined throughout the Pacific. Tradition says that Turi followed Kupe's instructions when sailing from Hawaiki to New Zealand via Raoul Island in the Kermadecs. The canoe made landfall in Waitematā Harbour, then travelled down the west coast of the North Island from Aotea Harbour, named after the canoe, to Pātea in Taranaki, where he and his people settled; many places on this coast are named for events that occurred during this journey.

Cliff Whiting, for the New Zealand Geographic Board, Crown Copyright reserved.

Migration

Although it was once believed that the ancestors of Māori came to New Zealand in a single 'great fleet' of seven canoes, we now know that many canoes made the perilous voyage. Through stories passed down the generations, tribal groups trace their origins to the captains and crew of more than 40 legendary vessels, from the Kurahaupō at North Cape to the Uruao in the South Island.

Today, Māori whakapapa to these captains and crew. For more information about each of the waka and their voyages of exploration, see Te Ara's entries on Canoe navigation and Canoe traditions.

Over the centuries that followed, Māori developed a detailed knowledge of New Zealand's coast and interior and its flora and fauna. See Te Ara for more on Māori New Zealanders and their world.

Rēkohu

Sometime between 1300 and 1550, Māori from New Zealand settled on the Chatham Islands (Rēkohu), more than 750 km south-east of the mainland. For around 400 years their descendants lived on the Chatham Islands without contact with other peoples and the unique Moriori culture developed. See Te Ara for more on Rēkohu and the Moriori.

Find more about Pacific voyaging on Te Ara

Objects that tell stories

Further Information

' Pacific migrations', on Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

' Ideas of Māori Origins', on Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

' Canoe Traditions' on Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

' Wayfinding Revival ' article, on the NZ Science Learning Hub website.

Polynesian Voyaging Society - founded in Hawaii in 1973, the Polynesian Voyaging Society builds replica canoes and sails them using traditional navigation methods.

The Canoe is the People: Indigenous Navigation in the Pacific - a website designed mostly for Pacific youth which honours and explores the knowledge and skills of traditional Pacific wayfinding.

Kupe Voyaging by the Stars - this 1993 documentary shows Hekenukumai 'Hector' Busby, from Northland, lead the construction of a waka hourua (double-hulled canoe), then retrace Kupe's course across the Pacific, back to Rarotonga. NZ On Screen.

He Korero Purakau mo nga taunahanahatanga a nga tupuna: Place names of the ancestors, a Maori oral history atlas. Wellington: New Zealand Geographic Board, 1990.

Atholl Anderson, 'Finding Tonganui: East Polynesian Seafaring and Migration to New Zealand', in Frances Steel (ed), New Zealand and the Sea: Historical Perspectives, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington, 2018

Atholl Anderson, 'Speaking of migration, AD 1150-1450', in Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney, & Aroha Harris (eds), Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington, 2014

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It was only 3200 years ago that people began heading eastwards from New Guinea and the Solomon Islands further into the Pacific.

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GALLERY | Click images to enlarge

KANU-1 is a design commissioned by Paul Cheevers in Papua New Guinea. It is a solo paddle canoe intended for reef fishing off the beach. Paul writes:

My idea is to make a product that will give a boost to the local fisheries sector. At present most fishing is done from Yamaha-powered banana boats (pangas). That is fine if you can afford one, but most cannot. I am aiming more towards the women in the village who would paddle out at dusk to do some bottom lining. A craft which one person can carry to the water, and without having to wake the whole village when they return, asking for help to drag it back up.

I cannot see a cheaper and easier way to build a canoe than in a mold with isophthalic polyester resin, csm(chopped strand mat) and a bit of woven roving. It's pretty much a case of gelcoat and skincoat on day one and the final layers day two. All of this work can be done locally with a bit of supervision. Plywood is out of the question due to cost and rot, as in lack of maintenance.

We used the free plans of the KIR-7 "One Man Canoe" from the Coastal Fisheries Programme site as a starting point, since Paul had already built one out of timber and plywood and was generally happy with the design. I loaded the drawings into Rhino and built a model. Spinning it around on screen I could see the little canoe had nice proportions and a sweet sheer. Gratified that Rhino's hydrostatics agreed with the figures given on the plans, I modified the hull with rounded-V sections and a shallower draft to provide less surface area and better turning.

There are watertight bulkheads both ends with optional access hatches for dry storage, and a floor running between them.

Even though KANU-1 is intended for paddling only, we kept the fore and aft symmetry of the original KIR-7 proa design. Invariably someone is going to want the ama mounted on the other side, in which case all they need to do is turn the boat around.

We both thought the KIR-7 ama was too short and blocky, so I started from scratch. It's a long banana shape to complement the hull, with a rounded diamond shape cross-section. The ama hull and deck are both molded GRP, joined with a "hat-box" joint. Total ama displacement is 71kg (157lb).

In order to avoid the labor and expense of epoxy laminated curved beams, we went with straight, solid rosewood timber. Apparently rosewood grows like a weed in PNG. A bit heavier than optimum, but hey... rosewood!

The beam to ama connective struts were a bit of problem because the ama has no hatch or any interior access at all, once the hull and deck parts are bonded together. I modeled a simple fiberglass bipod strut that is bonded with Sikaflex to a flat on the ama deck, and then bolted to the beams. The glass strut does away with cleats, timbers and rope of the original KIR-7. It will help production move along by eliminating some fiddly bits. The beams are lashed to the main hull in the traditional fashion - with rope.

The beams extend out past the hull and ama in order to facilitate carrying the canoe up the beach, and to carry long fishing spears on the hull side.

The hull alone weighs 16kg (35lb). Fully assembled and ready for the water the canoe weighs in at 29kg (64lb). Design displacement at waterline is 130kg (287lb) which gives us a 100kg (220lb) useful load, or one person + 30kg.

Paul is building the plug out of red cedar strips, which begs the question: What would a cedar strip KANU-1 weigh in at?

Another tantalizing question is how would it do with a small crab claw rig?

NOTE: Paul sent along some nice inspirational images of local outrigger canoes, the painting by C. Cooper being my favorite.

New Designs Outrigger Canoes

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KANU-1 is a design commissioned by Paul Cheevers in Papua New Guinea. It is a solo paddle canoe intended for reef fishing off the beach. Paul writes: My idea is to make a product that will give a...

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While an outrigger canoe may not mean much to most people, here in the beautiful Aloha State, outrigger canoeing is not only the official state team sport but a rich historical reminder that to live in Hawaii is to know and respect the ocean. No other culture in history has such a strong and intertwined existence with the ocean.

Outrigger canoes first arrived in Hawaii around 200 AD, some large enough to hold up to 80 people, and were filled with essential items like edible plants, water and animals to ensure a somewhat safer voyage for the brave explorers who took off in search of land. By following the migration patterns of birds seen flying overhead, explorers soon discovered the Hawaiian Islands.

The harsh terrain of the land, including jagged volcanic lava rock, steep cliffs, howling wind and waves, made it very difficult to transport anything, so outrigger canoes became a necessity for tasks like fishing and transporting goods and people. When native Hawaiians found giant Koa trees on the Big Island, they soon discovered they could build an entire canoe hull from a single piece of wood. While the outrigger canoe has gone through many phases over the last 2,000 years, Hawaiian outrigger canoes specifically remain built for battling conditions in the open ocean and are recognized for their unique shape, design and lack of extra ornamentation or decoration.

Since setting out on the ocean was still a very dangerous and risky task, building a new canoe involved the work and dedication of many people as well as frequent cultural and traditional practices. First, a kahuna, or Hawaiian priest, had to search for the perfect site and tree by following the 'elepaio, or Hawaiian forest bird, into the forest. Since the 'elepaio was attracted to rotting Koa wood, if the bird began pecking at the tree, that meant the wood was not solid and the tree would be useless for the strong structure it took to build a canoe. Once finding the perfect tree, the kahuna would then gather the canoe builders and workers, staying throughout the building process to offer prayers and blessings.

Once the tree was transported back to shore, which often required the effort of hundreds of men over several days, the hull was finished in a special halau, or canoe shed. One of the most highly honored members of the ancient Hawaiian society was the canoe carver, or kalai wa'a. Black paint, made from a mixture of plants and charcoal, was then added to the outer layer of the canoe to help keep it waterproof. For the Ali'i, or royalty, hens' eggs were used to make the paint shiny and glossy. The final act of building the canoe was the sacrifice of a dog and pig, which symbolized the tearing apart of the billows of the ocean and the rooting of the canoe into the open sea, respectively. Noho, or canoe seats, were often named after the paddler instead of the position number, and specialized wood artisans were given the task of making the paddles, all of which were customized for each owner and displayed proudly inside the paddler's home.

It has been said that "canoe racing has been around as long as there have been 2 canoes." While outrigger canoes were not invented in Hawaii, the sport of canoe racing certainly was, called hei hei wa'a, and was practiced widely among Hawaiian chiefs for sport and recreation, often placing bets on the outcome. When Captain Cook arrived to the Hawaiian islands in 1779, he reported seeing at least 1,500 outrigger canoes, quite a feat due to the amount of work and manpower required to build each one. For that time, estimates of a Hawaiian population were between 175,000 to 225,000 people and between 6,000 and 12,000 outrigger canoes. As the shift from traditional Hawaiian practices to European ways of life began to take shape, canoeing, and placing bets on the outcome of canoe races, became frowned upon by missionaries and was later banned by Queen Ka'ahumanu under their influence.

Several decades later, in 1875, the last reigning King of the Kingdom of Hawaii, King David Kalakaua, brought back the sport of outrigger canoe racing by naming his own birthday, November 16th, official annual regatta day. In 1908, the Outrigger Canoe Club was founded on Oahu, which helped popularize the nearly lost Hawaiian sports of surfing and outrigger canoe racing.

Then, in 1975, historian and Polynesian Voyaging Society member Herb Kawainui Kane designed a replica of a traditional Hawaiian double-hulled voyaging canoe, which he named Hokule'a, or "Star of Gladness." In 1976, Hokule'a departed from Honolua Bay, Maui, and arrived successfully in Tahiti 34 days later, without the aid of any modern navigation instruments. After completing six major voyages over the next couple decades, the Hokule'a has become a iconic, spiritual symbol for the Hawaiian people and culture.

Although Hokule'a mastered open ocean voyages time and time again, a second canoe was in the works, called Hawai'iloa, which would be built from more traditional materials, difficult to find due to deforestation and a lack of large Koa trees. In 1990, a group of native Alaskan tribes donated two Sitka spruce logs for the canoe, stating "Both the reality and the symbolism of the Hawai'iloa project breathe hope and inspiration into all peoples seeking to maintain their traditions, heritage and culture in a society that does not place a high priority on such things... You do it for the Hawaiian people, but it reaches far beyond. In your canoe you carry all of us who share your vision and aspiration for a people to live and prosper with their future firmly built on the knowledge of their heritage and tradition."
Hokulea: History of Hawaii's Voyaging Canoe

Today, outrigger canoeing and canoe racing have once again been revived along with Hawaiian practices of ocean navigation and construction. There are now more than 60 canoe clubs in Hawaii, and Hawaiian outrigger canoes are the standard canoe used internationally in outrigger canoe racing. The shape, length and weight requirements for racing are all very strict based on Hawaiian culture and tradition, commonly using original Hawaiian customs, names, techniques and traditions for all parts of the sport.

While we certainly don't expect you to master the art of outrigger canoe racing on your next vacation to Maui, we do encourage you to try your hand at paddling while enjoying the views and learning something new during one of our outrigger canoe tours, which visit some of the best scenic areas on the island, including South Maui's Turtle Town, West Maui's Coral Gardens, Honolua Bay and even Molokini Crater. We now offer Outrigger Canoe rides on Oahu too. There are six seats in our 45 foot outrigger canoe, and while we do combine parties in order to fill up all available seats, we ensure an exclusive, private and unique experience for you and your friends or family.

To learn more about outrigger canoe racing and get involved on Maui, visit Hui o Wa'a Kaulua, or "Assembly of the Double-Hull Canoe", a local non-profit organization that offers educational programs for students and is working to launch a 62 ft. transoceanic voyaging canoe called Mo'okiha o Pi'ilani, or "Sacred Lizard of Maui", later this month.

Steersman to crew: Makaukau (mah-cow-cow) Are you ready?

Crew to steersman: `ae (eye) Yes or `a`ole (ah-oh-lay) No

Steersman to crew: Hoe Hapai (ho-ay ha-pie) Lift your paddle

Steersman to crew: Imua (ee-moo-ah) Proceed forward

Steersman to crew: Lawa (Lah-va) Enough; to stop paddling

Wa`a (vah-ah) Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe

Wa`a Kaulua (vah-ah cow-lew-ah) Double Haul Canoe

Huli (who-lee) To flip over canoe

Huki (who-key) To pull

Hoe (ho-aya) Paddle

Tell us about it in the comments!

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Hawaiian Outrigger Canoeing | It's History & Revival To Date

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The cultural significance, rich history and current practices of outrigger canoeing in Hawaii is something we can all appreciate. Learn about it's Revival.

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The canoe is the hull that holds the sailor, the bars leading out are called the outrigger boom, and the smaller side piece that sits in the water and offers balance is the outrigger.

Long before the days of GPS and satellites, curious and brave seafaring explorers used their knowledge of the ocean and the night sky for guidance. They explored the oceans in Polynesian outrigger canoes, the style of which has sailed the Southern Pacific Ocean for over 5,000 years.

In some places, single wooden-hulled Polynesian outrigger canoes are still in use today.

While a single carved out tree makes up the hull, what distinguishes Polynesian outrigger canoes is that traditionally they have only one outrigger. In contrast, Southeast Asia more often had double outriggers. Importantly, double-hulled canoes (catamarans) were also popular amongst the early Polynesian people.

Today, many original style wooden vessels can be found on the waters, but more often we have seen Polynesian outrigger canoes made from modern materials. Although, the basic long narrow shape with the addition of only a single outrigger has withstood the test of time.

It is the detailed handwork of the older vessels that I find so intriguing.

Taking a closer look at the construction details of the Polynesian outrigger canoes, the challenge these brave men faced seems multiplied.

The New Zealand Maritime Museum displays replicas of voyaging canoes from Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia.

Larger vessels were used for migration sailing and were often double-hulled canoes. In fact, these are the type of boats that brought the first Polynesian people to New Zealand.

The legend of Kupe

Maori legend tells us that Kupe discovered New Zealand about 1,000 years ago. He sailed to Aotearoa (New Zealand) from Hawaiki, the traditional homeland of the Maori people. Today, no one today knows the exact location of Hawaiki. However, the accepted belief is that it is somewhere in Polynesia.

Where is Polynesia?

Polynesia is an eastern subgroup of Oceania and consists of over 1,000 islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean. It is not as clearly defined as many regions with land borders. In fact, different sources include different countries in Polynesia. The conflict is generally regarding the outliers.

However, regardless of where you draw the physical borders, most will agree that the countries listed just below are culturally Polynesian. A triangle from Hawaii to New Zealand to Easter Island defines this group.

The commonly agreed-upon list of countries of each region:

Polynesia: American Samoa, Cook Island, Easter Island, French Polynesia, Hawaii, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Niue, Pitcairn Islands, Rotuma, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, and Wallis and Futuna.

Melanesia: Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Micronesia: includes the archipelagos of the Caroline Islands, the Gilbert Islands, the Mariana Islands, and the Marshall Islands. There are also independent islands in the region.

Polynesian outrigger canoes

What we do know is the detailed craftsmanship that went into building Polynesian outrigger canoes is similar throughout the region.

Many replicas of these boats are on display at the maritime museum in Auckland, and it's a great place to get a closer look at some of the details.

At the top of this page is a classic example of an outrigger canoe. The main parts are:

Hull/canoe - the hull that holds the canoe paddlers, carved from a single log, or stitched together.

Boom: Rather than a single boom like modern sailing vessels, the sail is lashed to two booms that are separated to raise the sail.

Sail: woven from plant materials and sewn together in strips. Pandanus matting is the most common in Polynesia. However, New Zealand used flax.

Outrigger boom: spars leading out from the hull.

Outrigger: the smaller lateral supports that float on the water and offers balance.

Polynesian outrigger canoes from Tonga

Just below is a Tongan Tongiaki, a double-hulled voyage canoe. The small hut offers the only protection the brave sailors had against the oceans. It's similar in style to the boats that originally brought the Polynesian Maori to New Zealand. Although, the Maori migration boats are believed to have been about 20 meters in length.

Polynesian outrigger canoes from New Caledonia

This vessel is from the Isle of Pines, an island in the archipelago of New Caledonia (Melanesia). It's a mix of modern and traditional styles and base materials.

Polynesian outrigger canoes from Kiribati Atolls

Also at the museum is this Polynesian outrigger sailing canoe. In the background of the first shot below is the hull, outrigger boom and part of the sail of Taratai, a 76-foot baurua voyaging canoe from the Kiribati Atolls (Micronesia).

Check out the impressive detail in the lashings on both the smaller canoe and the larger migration vessel.

Polynesian outrigger canoes from the Cook Islands

We took all three of these shots on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. The first two were modern racing vessels. The third is a historic waka outside the Cook Islands Museum and Library.

Canoes from French Polynesia

French Polynesia consists of over 100 islands stretching for more than 2,000km. The capital Papeete is located on the island of Tahiti, one of the better known of the islands.

We have visited a few of these islands but captured photos of Polynesian outrigger canoes only in Moorea.

Where to have your own outrigger experience

Outrigger Canoe Surfing in Honolulu, Hawaii
An exciting way for the entire family (ages 5+) to catch a wave, this adventure will have you surf three waves as you learn a bit about the history of what was once the official sport of the royal family. Considered so safe, life jackets are not required. You can reserve your outrigger canoe surfing experience here.

Outrigger Canoe Snorkel Tour in Maui, Hawaii
Starting from Wailea Beach you will paddle down the south shore to a snorkel spot featuring sea turtles, a variety of fish, and coral that can easily be observed in the pristine waters. You will learn a bit about the culture and celestial navigation from your guide as you paddle to your snorkel spot. You can reserve your outrigger canoe snorkel tour here.

Combo Sunset Cruise & Romantic Dinner in Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Not a traditional canoe, as this outrigger vessel is powered, but you will enjoy a two-hour romantic cruise, a glass of champagne, and the sunset along with not more than five other couples. Then you will be taken to the renowned St James Restaurant, where you will have a private romantic dinner at a pre-reserved table. You can reserve your cruise and dinner here.

We are always on the lookout for new experiences that have great reviews from people who have tried them. Here are three that are now on our radar:

More wooden canoes at the New Zealand Maritime Museum

Documenting New Zealand's nautical history, the maritime museum in Auckland takes us through the arrival of the nation's early population. Here are two more images of single-hulled canoes without outriggers.

The museum is at Auckland's Viaduct Harbour at the corner of Quay and Hobson Streets.

The museum is open nearly every day from 10 am - 5 pm. Also available are optional sailings on the Ted Ashby most days, which offer a chance to get out on the water on a ketch-rigged deck scow. Reserve your Ted Ashby tickets here.

Practical information and tips for visiting the museum in Auckland

Save for later

If you enjoyed taking a closer look at these Polynesian outrigger canoes, please share this pin on Pinterest:

Can you imagine crossing the oceans on one of these Polynesian outrigger canoes?

Other islands you might like to see:

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Polynesian Outrigger Canoes Close Up: In the Museum and on the Water

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Impressive details are highlighted in this photo exploration of the lashing and construction of Polynesian outrigger canoes

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Nowadays popularized by the Moana Disney movie, the Polynesian outrigger canoe is known in French Polynesia under its maohi name : "va'a". Cunningly intended for long travels, it is made of a beam connected to the hull thanks to two wooden arms, which contribute to provide steadiness. Everything is tied up with resistant and flexible rubber. In order to move forward, the oarsman is equipped with a slightly curved wooden paddle. Outstanding navigators, Polynesian people conceived their outrigger canoes in order to cover their basic needs, being able to fish at any time but first and foremost to seek after new islands to settle in. When European people arrived in the 1760s, the huge outrigger canoes, which used to operate a lot, became scarce. The Maohi chose to only keep the smallest canoes to go fishing and race during competitions.

In former times, the va'a used to be essential to Polynesian people; it was an easiest way to fish and a great means of transport, especially when it was time to go to war. It used to be fundamental in everyday life. So as to get their bearings among the vast ocean, men used to navigate the ancestral way, following the stars and paying attention to both wind and swell. This technique remains quite popular nowadays.

In olden days, as metals did not exist yet, the Polynesian outrigger canoe was essentially made out of vegetal components. For instance, ropes were made out of coir as it was well-known for being water-resistant. They used stones, shells, wooden tools and even fish bones during the making process. Trees were carefully chosen in order to make the hull. Wood was expected to be big, thick, flexible, to resist humidity, to be sunproof, shockproof and to stand the test of time. Pandanus leaves were used to create the sail. Eventually, as Maohi people happen to be believers, the workmanship came under the sacred and great priests organised ceremonies, invoking gods in order to bless the va'a.

Polynesian people used to sail the seas and each travel could take weeks, even months. Each member of the crew was attributed a defined role, a mission to support the tribe. For instance, it quickly became necessary to maintain the water-resistance of the ship, therefore some men were in charge of bailing out, since coir tend to wear out as time goes by. When the sea was still, the group would paddle sitting on floats in order to steer their course while women would take care of maintaining weavings and strengthen ties. Before setting sail, they would load seedlings and reproductive animals such as pigs or breeder hens so as to introduce it to their brand new islands. They always made sure of stocking up on food, bringing fresh and dried foodstuffs like coconuts, sweet potatoes, taro, bananas, breadfruits and others. A group of fishermen was supposed to see to it that they would never run out of food and had to cook on the very canoe, the fireplace being in a sandbox.

Throughout the years, the outrigger canoe kept its authenticity and charm, it remains a traditional and sacred craft. It crossed the oceans and became quite popular in Australia, the United States, South Africa and Europe. Its manufacturing is now submitted to a strict regulation regarding the use of materials. It is intended to protect it and keep its traditional aspect. Now if we mainly use small models, one can still admire a few migratory canoes, such as the famous Hokule'a, which connects Hawaii to Tahiti.

Even though it used to be a means of subsistance, the va'a has become a sport, a real discipline. There are two types of races: the lagoon sprint on board a "V1" (single place canoe), ranging from 500m to 1500m of distance and the blue depths of the sea marathons of 30km to 150km on board a "V6" (six paddlers). Substitutes keep up with the race on board a special ship and they jump into the water once they receive a signal. Each member of the team appears to have an essential role, whatever his place. However, the most complicated one is probably that of the helmsman, located at the rear of the va'a. He is called "peperu" in Reo Maohi and he is supposed to brake, steer the course and stay steady. Competitors never paddle more than ten times on each side, they alternate once they receive the signal from the captain. This sport is now known worldwide and several countries participate to competitions. However, it is definitely more popular among the Pacific area, especially inTahiti, New Caledonia, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia.

The Hawaiki Nui Va'a ("the Original Big Land"), created in 1991. This race connects the islands of Huahine, Raiatea and Bora Bora among the Society Archipelago. Each year new competitors cross the world to participate, just like France, Peru, Japan or the United States.

The Molokai Hoe which takes place in Hawaii, between the islands of Oahu and Molokai. The very first edition took place in 1952.

The Tahiti Nui Va'a, which is a three step competition split into three days which occurs every two years.

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Nowadays popularized by the Moana Disney movie, the Polynesian outrigger canoe is known in French Polynesia under its maohi name : "va'a". Cunningly intended for long travels, it is made of a beam connected to the hull thanks to two wooden arms, which contribute to provide steadiness.

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Compiled Canoe Research (Multiple Sources) from Mrs. Gemignani

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Compiled Canoe Research (Multiple Sources) from Mrs. Gemignani

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A thousand years of environmental change in Polynesia

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A William & Mary archaeologist has been studying 1,000 years of the islanders’ methods of coping with life amid some rapidly changing ecosystems atop geologically unstable islands.

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https://www.factmonster.com/history/world/dk-history-polynesia

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Polynesia is a group of scattered islands in the vast Pacific Ocean. Around 2000 BC, families made long, dangerous journeys to settle there. The settlers arrived with pigs, dogs, and hens. They built thatched wooden houses, gathered bananas, coconuts, and breadfruit, and fished.

The settlers' ancestors came from southeast Asia, and had lived there for at least 30,000 years. Slowly, they moved to islands in the Pacific. By 1200 BC, they reached Tonga and Samoa, on the western edge of Polynesia. Around 300 BC, they began to sail farther across the ocean.

WHY DID PEOPLE SET SAIL FOR POLYNESIA?

The islands in southeast Asia, where settlers traveled from, were probably overpopulated. This would have meant the farmland was exhausted, forests had been cut down, and the soil had eroded away. There may also have been wars between rival islanders, competing for food and land. But some sailors may have been adventurous, eager to explore new lands.

Settlers traveled in double-hulled canoes, which had sails made of matting. They observed stars, clouds, ocean swells, migrating birds, and te lapa (rays of light reflected underwater from land), and made maps from sticks, pebbles, and shells. Using these techniques, they reached distant islands like Hawaii, and also New Zealand, where settlers called themselves MAORIS.

The islands of Polynesia cover an area of over 800,000 sq miles (2 million sq km). Roughly triangular in shape, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Easter Island are at its points. It took many days to sail between groups of islands. Settlers carried farm tools and food plants, to help them survive when they landed.

Settlers first reached New Zealand around AD 800. At first they lived in small, peaceful groups, but, as the population grew, they became more warlike. Around 1500, they began to build fortified hilltop settlements, called pa. They decorated buildings with woodcarvings, and tattooed their skins with swirling designs.

The climate of New Zealand was colder and wetter than the settlers' home islands, so they had to adapt to their new environment. They hunted giant flightless birds, called moa, in the forests. They killed seals and gathered shellfish around the coast.

Copyright © 2007 Dorling Kindersley

Polynesia is a group of scattered islands in the vast Pacific Ocean. Around 2000 BC, families made long, dangerous journeys to settle there. The settlers arrived with pigs, dogs, and hens. They built thatched wooden houses, gathered bananas, coconuts, and breadfruit, and fished.

The settlers' ancestors came from southeast Asia, and had lived there for at least 30,000 years. Slowly, they moved to islands in the Pacific. By 1200 BC, they reached Tonga and Samoa, on the western edge of Polynesia. Around 300 BC, they began to sail farther across the ocean.

WHY DID PEOPLE SET SAIL FOR POLYNESIA?

The islands in southeast Asia, where settlers traveled from, were probably overpopulated. This would have meant the farmland was exhausted, forests had been cut down, and the soil had eroded away. There may also have been wars between rival islanders, competing for food and land. But some sailors may have been adventurous, eager to explore new lands.

Settlers traveled in double-hulled canoes, which had sails made of matting. They observed stars, clouds, ocean swells, migrating birds, and te lapa (rays of light reflected underwater from land), and made maps from sticks, pebbles, and shells. Using these techniques, they reached distant islands like Hawaii, and also New Zealand, where settlers called themselves MAORIS.

The islands of Polynesia cover an area of over 800,000 sq miles (2 million sq km). Roughly triangular in shape, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Easter Island are at its points. It took many days to sail between groups of islands. Settlers carried farm tools and food plants, to help them survive when they landed.

Settlers first reached New Zealand around AD 800. At first they lived in small, peaceful groups, but, as the population grew, they became more warlike. Around 1500, they began to build fortified hilltop settlements, called pa. They decorated buildings with woodcarvings, and tattooed their skins with swirling designs.

The climate of New Zealand was colder and wetter than the settlers' home islands, so they had to adapt to their new environment. They hunted giant flightless birds, called moa, in the forests. They killed seals and gathered shellfish around the coast.

Copyright © 2007 Dorling Kindersley

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Polynesia is a group of scattered islands in the vast Pacific Ocean. Around 2000 BC, families made long, dangerous journeys to settle there. The settlers arrived with pigs, dogs, and hens. They built thatched wooden houses, gathered bananas, coconuts, and breadfruit, and fished.

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What inferences and conclusions can you make from this map?

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Check it out on Google Earth!

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Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

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Welcome to Britannica School, a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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Welcome to Britannica School, a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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How did Polynesian wayfinders navigate the Pacific Ocean? - Alan Tamayose and Shantell De Silva

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Bonus: The Endangered Albatross | National Geographic

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The range of designs and building methods was vast. In double-hulled canoes, the two hulls were joined together by booms and a decking. Outriggers had just one hull and a float attached to it by two or more booms. Some canoes had hulls built from planks, while others had 'dugout' hulls made from hollowed-out tree trunks.

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polynesian canoe - Kiddle images - visual search engine for kids

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polynesian canoe - Kiddle images - visual search engine for kids

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In Search of the Ancient Polynesian Voyaging Canoe

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Polynesia began with the voyaging canoe. More than three thousand years ago, the uninhabited islands of Samoa and Tonga were discovered by an ancient people. With them were plants, animals, and a language with origins in Southeast Asia; and along the way they had become a seafaring people. Arriving…

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national oceanic and atmospheric administration

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An ocean fact that provides the definition of an archipelago.

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An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands.

Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Archipelago, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Lakshadweep Islands, the Galápagos Islands, the Japanese archipelago, the Philippine Archipelago, the Maldives, the Balearic Islands, The Bahamas, the Aegean Islands, the Hawaiian Islands, the Canary Islands, Malta, the Azores, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the British Isles, the islands of the Archipelago Sea, and Shetland. They are sometimes defined by political boundaries. For example, the Gulf archipelago off the northeastern Pacific coast forms part of a larger archipelago that geographically includes Washington state's San Juan Islands; while the Gulf archipelago and San Juan Islands are geographically related, they are not technically included in the same archipelago due to manmade geopolitical borders.

The word archipelago is derived from the Ancient Greek ἄρχι-( arkhi-, "chief") and πέλαγος ( pélagos, "sea") through the Italian arcipelago. In antiquity, "Archipelago" (from Medieval Greek *ἀρχιπέλαγος and Latin archipelagus) was the proper name for the Aegean Sea. Later, usage shifted to refer to the Aegean Islands (since the sea has a large number of islands).

Geographic types

Archipelagos may be found isolated in large amounts of water or neighbouring a large land mass. For example, Scotland has more than 700 islands surrounding its mainland, which form an archipelago.

Archipelagos are often volcanic, forming along island arcs generated by subduction zones or hotspots, but may also be the result of erosion, deposition, and land elevation. Depending on their geological origin, islands forming archipelagos can be referred to as oceanic islands, continental fragments, and continental islands.

Oceanic islands

Oceanic islands are mainly of volcanic origin, and widely separated from any adjacent continent. The Hawaiian Islands and Galapagos Islands in the Pacific, and Mascarene Islands in the south Indian Ocean are examples.

Continental fragments

Continental fragments correspond to land masses that have separated from a continental mass due to tectonic displacement. The Farallon Islands off the coast of California are an example.

Continental archipelagos

Sets of islands formed close to the coast of a continent are considered continental archipelagos when they form part of the same continental shelf, when those islands are above-water extensions of the shelf. The islands of the Inside Passage off the coast of British Columbia and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are examples.

Artificial archipelagos

Artificial archipelagos have been created in various countries for different purposes. Palm Islands and The World Islands off Dubai were or are being created for leisure and tourism purposes. Marker Wadden in the Netherlands is being built as a conservation area for birds and other wildlife.

Further examples

The largest archipelagic state in the world by area, and by population, is Indonesia.

In Spanish: Archipiélago para niños

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hikueru, Tiveru, or Te Kārena, is one of the Central Tuamotu atolls. The closest land to Hikueru is Tekokota Atoll, located 22 km to the north.

Hikueru Atoll's shape is roughly oval and it is 15 km in length and 9.5 km in width. It covers a land area of 8 km ² and a lagoon area of 79 km ². There are many motu on its reef with a combined land area of about 25 km ². Its lagoon is deep, with numerous coral heads.

At the 2012 census, the population of the commune of Hikueru was 241, of which 150 on Hikueru proper, and 91 on the atoll of Marokau. Its most important village is Tupapati, located on the atoll Hikueru. There is a territorial airport on Hikueru which was opened in 2000.

Hikueru was the setting for Armstrong Sperry's novel Call It Courage, which won the Newbery Medal in 1940.

Hikueru Atoll was discovered by Bougainville in 1768. Spanish navigator Domingo de Boenechea sighted Hikueru in 1774 on his ship the Aguila. He named this atoll "San Juan".

Like Marokau, Hikueru used to be a large natural pearl oyster reserve. The 1903 cyclone wrought considerable damage, however, and caused the death of 377 people, including 261 from the island of Hao. In his " South Sea Tales", Jack London gives a vivid description of this disastrous hurricane.

In the 1988 census, only 123 inhabitants were found to be still living on Hikueru. This was up to 268 by 2007. The population of this island makes a living by collecting copra. Up to the 1970s, it was one of the main deep-sea diving centres in the Tuamotu atolls.

The atoll is served by the Hikueru Airport ( IATA: HHZ, ICAO: NTGH).

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hikueru, Tiveru, or Te Kārena, is one of the Central Tuamotu atolls. The closest land to Hikueru is Tekokota Atoll, located 22 km to the north. Hikueru Atoll's shape is roughly oval and it is 15 km in length and 9.5 km in width.