The Origins of the People of Polynesia and Melanesia

1. The Origins of the People of Polynesia and Melanesia By: Yannay Kaplan

2. Where do the Polynesian and Melanesian people originate from? • The Polynesian and Melanesian people are thought to originate from Southeast Asia • Some sites say that the Polynesian people migrated via Taiwan to the Polynesian islands (with Mitochondrial DNA studies as proof) but one site says that the Polynesians migrated via Fiji to Tonga and Samoa and from their to the rest of the Polynesian islands with no mentioned proof except for DNA and genetic studies

3. Polynesian people and their language • Polynesian people are lighter skinned and are usually taller then the Melanesian and Micronesian people • Polynesian languages are spoken in Polynesia but they are also spoken in south central Micronesia and on small islands off the northeast of the larger islands of the Southeast Solomon Islands and sprinkled through Vanuatu. There are abut 30 to 40 Polynesian languages in total. The most prominent (famous or well-known) of these are Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan, Māori and Hawaiian.

4. INTERMISSION

5. Melanesian people • Melanesian people have very dark skin and some also have blond hair. Why some have blond hair, nobody knew until recently. This trait had puzzled experts who until now have thought that the unusual trait might’ve been inherited from the Europeans, especially the British, Germans and Australians who have been connected to the islands since the end of the 19th century. The locals however, preferred to attribute this trait to a diet rich in fish or the constant exposure to the sun. A group of researchers from the University of Bristol in the UK, the School of Medicine, Stanford University, USA, and the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Truro, NS, Canada, among others, have found a unique genetic mutation that explains the blond hair in theinhabitants of this region, and concluded that it is not related to the Europeans, but must have originated independently of that possible genetic introgression (the flow of genes from one population to another through immigration of individuals). • http://digitaljournal.com/article/324326

6. Melanesian languages • Britannica Online Encyclopedia says that Melanesia has around 400 languages with some being Fijian, Motu, in the form of Police Motu, Roviana, Bambatana, Bugotu, Tolai,and Mota. • Wikipedia, on the other hand, says that there are 1,319 languages in Melanesia, scattered across a small amount of land, thatthe proportion of 716 sq. kilometers per language is by far the most dense rate of languages in relation to land mass in the earth and that it is almost three times as dense as in Nigeria, which is a country famous for its high number of languages in a compact area.

7. Interesting Facts • The word Polynesia is derived from the two Greek words poly, which means many and nesos meaning islands. Therefore, the word Polynesia means many islands. • The word Melanesia is derived from the two Greek words melas, which means black and nesos meaning islands. Therefore, the word Melanesia means black islands.

8. Bibliography • www.janeresture.com/melhome/index.htm • http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/the-origins-of-polynesia/11678 • Wikipedia • http://www.janeresture.com • www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/373709/Melanesian-languages

9. Thank You For Watching • I would like to thank: • Francesco Bargeebas, Martina La Martinchina and EnglovosMonchaches for the outstanding effort you guys put into helping me finish this project • I would also like to thank pure and utter luck for helping me both succeed in finishing this project and for not getting caught taking several breaks, rests and naps when not allowed • And last but not least I would like to thank my sisters for keeping on distracting me when I was trying (and failing) to do my work • Adios! I think I’m going to go repay the favor!