Polynesia

see also: Etymology of Polynesia

The Polynesia (of the Greek , “many islands”), one of the three traditional areas of the Oceania, is a broad grouping of island S located in the east and the south of the Pacific Ocean.

In 1831, Jules Dumont d' Urville proposes with the Société geography (Paris) a new organization, in four parts, Pacifique, after having explored this one twice:

Polynesia (“many islands”);
the Mélanésie (“black islands”);
the Micronesia (“small islands”);
and the Malaysia which will be withdrawn later from the continent océanien.

This traditional organization from now on is called into question and the scientists prefer to him cutting in “close Oceania” and “Oceania distant” - from this last changing all traditional Polynesia. Indeed, it was a question of making coincide more or less artificially a nation, speaking a relatively intercompréhensible language (the Polynesian) by excluding the people considered as less “noble” (like the inhabitants of Fiji or Micronesia).

Traditionally, Polynesia forms a triangle between Hawaii, the New Zealand and the Easter Island. The islands Samoa and Tonga and the French Polynésie constitute the other independent groups of islands. The Kiribati, whose people Gilbertin are described as micronésien, also extend as far as Polynesia (islands of the Line). On the other hand, about the Polynesian Langues is spoken apart from this triangle following a relatively recent installation about Polynesians apart from their initial hearth. It is the case of the spoken languages with Tikopia, with Anuta, Rennell, of the Western Ouvéa spoken in New Caledonia (islands Loyauté), of the languages of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi (Federated States of Micronesia), of the languages of Nukuria, Takuu and Luangiua (with broad of the the Solomon Islands), of the languages of Ifira-Miss and Emae, Aniwa and the Western Futuna (spoken with the Vanuatu).

The Polynesian natives speak about the Langues austronésiennes of the oceanic sub-group known as “”. Culturally, Polynesia is divided into two distinct parts: Polynesia of the East and Polynesia of the West.

Presentation

The culture of Polynesia of the West is strongly influenced by its many populations and its infectious illness. It includes/understands powerful institutions of marriage, and legal, monetary traditions and of exchange developed well. It extends almost until the Japan, the Indonesia and reached (but does not include) the Marquesas Islands. Because of strong similarities with the Christian cultures, the culture of Polynesia of the West easily adopted the Christianisme.

In the east of the Marquesas Islands, the cultures reflect the great insulation of the people. The populations were genetically characterized by an high degree of consanguinity. The tradition wanted that the women seek their partners on other islands, in order to increase their chances to give rise to children in good health. The religion, agriculture, fishing, weather forecasting, the construction of Catamaran S and the Navigation were very developed competences, because the population of the same island could entirely devote itself to it. The exchanges made the distinction between the leisures on the one hand and emergency aid and the evacuation on the other hand. Many small islands could suffer from famine when their cultures were poisoned by the salt deposited by the hurricanes. In these situations, fishing, first source of proteins, did not cover any more the lack of calories. The sailors, in particular, were honoured almost like chiefs, and each island maintained a center of navigation and a zone of naval construction.

See too

Polynesian Mythology
Settlement of Oceania

External bonds

History of Polynesia
ICA - Site devoted to the audio-visual heritage of Polynesia with many videos, sounds and images
Museum of the civilization of Quebec site very complete, pleasant to sail, texts, vidéos, images

Beats-smg: Polinezėjė Simple: Polynesia Zh-min-nan: Polynesia

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