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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Polynesia

The foodstuffs found on the obsidian blades at Anakena in Rapa Nui suggest the islanders made the voyage to South America and returned. Source: F.C.G. / Adobe Stock.

Rapa Nui Obsidian Discovery: Did the Islanders sail to America?

It has long been thought that the people of Rapa Nui (popularly called Easter Island) lived a largely isolated existence, cut off from other lands by the vast and treacherous ocean. However a new...
Souls of Heroic Warriors in Polynesia ( adrenalinapura/ Adobe Stock)

Hawaii: Paradise Location Of Homeric Mythical Elysian Fields

Over centuries explorers as well as ethnologists noting the myths, legends, customs and folklore of the cultures native to the Pacific Ocean islands, have accumulated enough evidence to attest to...
Ancient Polynesian stories tell about a mysterious light guiding navigators across the Pacific Ocean. Source: aleksandar nakovski/AdobeStock

The Enigmatic Te Lapa lights, Utilized by Polynesians for Ocean Navigation

The Polynesian peoples have long been known as incredibly skilled sailors, and have navigated the vast and seemingly empty expanse of ocean - in search of new islands to settle. This they did with...
The backboard of the Kiribati armor was designed to protect from rear attacks (British Museum / CC BY SA 4.0)

Kiribati Coconut Armor - Not as Nutty as it Sounds!

At first sight, Kiribati armor might look a little strange, it is certainly not a suit of armor as we tend to think of it. It was surprisingly effective, given that it was made from coconut fibers,...
The famous moai statues of Easter Island have been damaged by a fire that is under investigation. Source: Municipality of Rapa Nui

700-Year-Old Moai Statues Irreparably Damaged by Fire on Easter Island

A shocking case of possible arson, still officially being called a forest fire, has caused irreparable damage to the ancient moai statues on Easter Island. The iconic towering stone heads and other...
Tikami stone monument in Nuku Hiva. Source: emperorcosar / Adobe Stock

The Mysterious 'Alien' Stone Monuments of Nuku Hiva

Nuku Hiva is known as the largest island in French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. Beyond its history as the largest of the Marquesas Islands, it is especially known for the stone monuments scattered...
Painting of a Menehune or the first Hawaiian people from 1933 by D. Howard Hitchcock.

The Menehune: Historical Accounts of the Mythical ‘Little People’ of Hawaii

The Menehune: Historical Accounts of the Mythical ‘Little People’ of Hawaii The mention of the name conjures up images of little people, tiny artisans fervently working through the night to complete...
The Mythological Maori Origin Stories

The Mythological Maori Origin Stories of New Zealand

The Maori people (Māori) are the natives of New Zealand who, like other societies, have myths that are related to the creation of the world and mankind. These Maori creation stories were memorized...
Matariki: Mythology, Astronomy and Warring Gods of the Maori New Year

Matariki: Mythology, Astronomy and Warring Gods of the Maori New Year

The Māori, or the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand , use a special word Matariki , which identifies the cluster of stars known to astronomers as the Pleiades, and to mythologists and...
A Wa'a Kaulua (double canoe) of Hawaiian Nobility of the 18th Century. Polynesia was inhabited by skilled seafarers.

Where Did the Polynesians Really Come From?

Oceania was the last region to be settled by humans and the last part of Oceania to be settled by humans was Polynesia. Polynesians are famous for their voyages to remote islands in distant parts of...
An aerial view of Atafu atoll in Tokelau         Source: DFAT / CC BY 2.0

Tokelau, a Small Nation with Great Traditions

Many dream of living on an island in the Pacific beneath endless blue skies and along golden beaches, far from the stresses of modern living. While few have heard of the islands of Tokelau, fewer...
Main: Group of Moai monoliths during sunset on Easter Island. Inset: Birdman cult carvings on the back of standing Moai.       Source: Aliaksei & thakala / Adobe stock

Easter Island’s Birdman Cult: A Story of Struggle and Survival

The Pacific Ocean is a world filled with diverse and remote islands, which are the home to some truly unique natives. Many of these islands were discovered comparatively recently in our history, and...
Main: Indigenous Polynesians. Credit: adrenalinapura / Adobe Stock. Inset: Bananas. Credit: Pongsak / Adobe Stock

Bananas Helped Ancient Lapita Culture Colonize Oceania

Scientists studying the teeth of the ancient Lapita people of Oceania , have found evidence that they survived on bananas, along with seeds and other fruits. This discovery is helping researchers to...
Man performing at the land diving ceremony on the Pentecost Island, Vanuatu          Source: simanlaci / Adobe stock

Land Diving in Vanuatu: Would You Take the Leap of Faith?

Throughout the history of the world, tribal and slightly primitive people of remote corners of the globe, have always had unique beliefs and traditions. From Papua New Guinea, to Australia to the...
Taputapuatea Marae. Source: Photo by  Abel, J

Taputapuatea Marae, An Ancient Site of Human Sacrifice and Communing with the Gods

French Polynesia is renowned for its beauty and friendly people, but still relatively little is known about its history. The sacred site of Taputapuatea marae is of great significance to the people...
Pulemelei Mound

The Perplexing Purpose of the Gigantic Pulemelei ‘Pyramid’ Mound of Samoa

One of the most important archaeological sites in Polynesia is the Pulemelei mound - the largest ancient monumental structure, not only in Samoa, but in the South Pacific. This monument, commonly...
A Maori Warrior

The Maori: A Rich and Cherished Culture at the World’s Edge

New Zealand was one of the last landmasses to be colonized by humans. When Pleistocene megafauna had gone extinct elsewhere in the world, New Zealand was still inhabited by the moas, giant flightless...
Ruins of Talietumu fort on ʻUvea.

Talietumu Fort, Wallis and Futuna: The Fortress for a King Whose Feet Could Never Touch the Ground

The islands of the South Pacific are best known as tropical paradises and many of them also have long histories and fascinating cultures. Talietumu is an archaeological site in the Polynesian islands...
Prison turned government building at KAVHA on Norfolk Island (1825-55).

Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area on Norfolk Island was Hell in Paradise

Australia is famous for its convict settlements and penal colonies. One of the most important and infamous convict settlements was at Norfolk Island in the South Pacific Sea. Today the penal colony...
The Spirit of the Dead Keeps Watch’ (1892) by Paul Gauguin.

Ghost Beliefs in Polynesia: When Spirits Return and Possess

A belief in ghosts is held by many cultures (both modern and ancient) around the world. Some of these ghost beliefs are well-known, whilst others, such as those held by the Polynesians, are less so...
Skeletons unearthed at a 3,000-year-old cemetery in Vanuatu.

Ancient Skulls Give Insights into Origins of Polynesians

Due to an analysis of the oldest-known cemetery in the South Pacific, the long-standing debate over the origins and ancestry of Polynesians may finally be resolved. A group of scientists, who studied...
The mysterious Rongorongo writing of Easter Island

The mysterious Rongorongo writing of Easter Island

During the 19 th Century, ancient artifacts containing a set of etched symbols were discovered on the world-renowned Easter Island, a small remote island located a few thousand miles west of South...
The megalithic gate of Ha’amonga ‘a Maui, Tonga

New research suggests Tonga was a vast seafaring empire

Scattered over 500,000 square kilometres in the southern Pacific Ocean are the Tonga islands. The kingdom of Tonga is a Polynesian sovereign state and archipelago comprising nearly two hundred...
An illustration of ancient Polynesians

New study suggests that the Philippines is the ancestral homeland of Polynesians

Research into the origins and dispersal of Polynesian chickens has helped scientists reconstruct the early migrations of the Polynesians and the animals they carried with them. The results revealed...

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