POLYNESIAN GALLERY INTRODUCTION
Polynesia is a series of islands and island groups widely scattered across the central and south Pacific Ocean. Most of these islands lie in what is known as the “Polynesian triangle,” formed by Hawaii to the north, Easter Island to the east, and New Zealand to the south.
The settlement of the islands of Polynesia is one of the most remarkable ancient migrations. Beginning some time before 1200 BC in the islands now known as Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, the people who would become Polynesians explored vast expanses of the world’s largest ocean. By 1000 AD they had established successful communities in every major island and island group in the central and southern Pacific. This amazing spread of a people and their culture over thousands of miles of uncharted ocean was accomplished in relatively small, open sailing canoes constructed with basic tools of stone and shell.
Polynesia is a series of islands and island groups widely scattered across the central and south Pacific Ocean. Most of these islands lie in what is known as the “Polynesian triangle,” formed by Hawaii to the north, Easter Island to the east, and New Zealand to the south.
The settlement of the islands of Polynesia is one of the most remarkable ancient migrations. Beginning some time before 1200 BC in the islands now known as Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, the people who would become Polynesians explored vast expanses of the world’s largest ocean. By 1000 AD they had established successful communities in every major island and island group in the central and southern Pacific. This amazing spread of a people and their culture over thousands of miles of uncharted ocean was accomplished in relatively small, open sailing canoes constructed with basic tools of stone and shell.
The settlement of the islands of Polynesia is one of the most remarkable ancient migrations. Beginning some time before 1200 BC in the islands now known as Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, the people who would become Polynesians explored vast expanses of the world’s largest ocean. By 1000 AD they had established successful communities in every major island and island group in the central and southern Pacific. This amazing spread of a people and their culture over thousands of miles of uncharted ocean was accomplished in relatively small, open sailing canoes constructed with basic tools of stone and shell.
