Essay --

The Pacific islands were the most difficult to reach, and therefore believed to be the last place on earth discovered by humans. Once settled, mankind finally reached the end of the known habitable world. When the first Europeans arrived to Polynesia in the 1800s, they found the islands already settled. This aroused interest and speculation about the origins of Polynesia, and a debate among scholars, scientist and others concerning this historical aspect of the Pacific continues today. Evidence from the past remains fragmentary, thus many different theories have arisen and are being contested today regarding the origins of the Polynesia Islands. Although there is no definite evidence as to where, when, or how the first settlers reached Polynesia, there are many cultural traditions that show us activities of everyday life from the past and direct to us a better understanding of the beginnings of Polynesia. Songs and lore from ancestors that were passed down from generation to generation ...