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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...