Did Polynesians get to South America?

The idea that Americans reached Polynesia before the Polynesians got to America is by no means universally accepted. As archaeologist Carl Lipo told National Geographic, “Polynesians are long-distance voyagers. And while South American DNA is found in Polynesia, no Polynesian DNA is found in South America.

Where did the Polynesians go?

Over about 25,000 years, these people, called the Polynesians, eventually colonized the islands of the south and western Pacific, from New Guinea in the west to Fiji and Samoa in the middle. Then they moved onward to Tahiti and finally Easter Island in the eastern south Pacific.

Who were the original inhabitants of South America?

Four main components have contributed to the present-day population of South America—American Indians (Amerindians), who were the pre-Columbian inhabitants; Iberians (Spanish and Portuguese who conquered and dominated the continent until the beginning of the 19th century); Africans, imported as slaves by the colonizers …

Did Polynesians ever reach North America?

“A North American group from Colombia making it to the southern Marquesas and interbreeding with Polynesians seems a stretch,” he says. “Polynesian seafarers had well developed maritime technologies and were quite capable of reaching the Americas.

Did Polynesians go to Australia?

There was no known prehistoric contact between Australian Aboriginal people and New Zealand Māori, although the Māori’s Polynesian ancestors were accomplished navigators. The first Māori known to have visited Australia travelled to Sydney in European trading ships from 1795 onwards.

How did the Polynesians get to the islands?

The ancient Polynesians navigated their canoes by the stars and other signs that came from the ocean and sky. Clouds, swells, and other natural signs helped Polynesian helmsmen find their way to islands hundreds of miles away.

Where did Polynesians migrate?

Polynesians likely originated from the Lapita people, who originated in Melanesia, the region north of Australia that includes the modern countries of Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia.

Did Polynesians sail to South America and back?

A study suggests that people from South America sailed to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and back, but local historian Scott Hamilton suggests Polynesians are more likely to have sailed to South America and back. Polynesians and Native Americans met and had children together around AD 1200, according to a study of modern Polynesian peoples’ DNA.

When did Polynesians come to Polynesia?

But most scholars at that time assumed Asians had voyaged east as early as around 3,500 years ago to relatively close-by western Polynesia, eventually populating eastern Polynesia by around 1,000 years ago without having any contacts with people from South America.

What is the difference between South American DNA and Polynesian DNA?

And while South American DNA is found in Polynesia, no Polynesian DNA is found in South America.

How did the sweet potato get to Polynesia?

The same scientific community nevertheless discussed cultural contacts between the two regions, because a South American plant, the sweet potato, has a long history of cultivation in eastern Polynesia. The idea that Polynesians voyaged to South America and introduced the plant on their return to Polynesia became the accepted explanation for this.