Did Polynesians Reach America? DNA evidence

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  • čas přidán 17. 05. 2024
  • The genetic evidence for one of the greatest voyages in history.
    The first 100 people to use code STEFANMILO at the link below will get 60% off of Incogni: incogni.com/stefanmilo"
    Chapters:
    0:00 Intro
    4:06 Spanish Potatoes?
    5:32 Thor and Lapita
    10:30 Oral History Meets Genetics
    14:34 Rapa Nui DNA
    21:00 The New Study
    29:18 When
    35:14 Where
    38:14 Caveat
    41:34 Tei Tetua
    Sources:
    Ioannidis, Alexander G., et al. “Native American Gene Flow into Polynesia Predating Easter Island Settlement.” Nature, vol. 583, no. 7817, 2020, pp. 572-577, doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-24....
    Ioannidis, Alexander G., Javier Blanco-Portillo, Karla Sandoval, Erika Hagelberg, Carmina Barberena-Jonas, et al. “Paths and Timings of the Peopling of Polynesia Inferred from Genomic Networks.” Nature, vol. 597, no. 7877, 2021, pp. 522-526, doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03....
    Moreno-Mayar, J. Víctor, et al. “Genome-Wide Ancestry Patterns in Rapanui Suggest Pre-European Admixture with Native Americans.” Current Biology, vol. 24, no. 21, 2014, pp. 2518-2525, doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2014.09....
    Ioannidis, Alexander G., Javier Blanco-Portillo, Karla Sandoval, Erika Hagelberg, Carmina Barberena-Jonas, et al. “Paths and Timings of the Peopling of Polynesia Inferred from Genomic Networks.” Nature, vol. 597, no. 7877, 2021, pp. 522-526, doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03....
    Eckstein, Lars, and Anja Schwarz. “The Making of Tupaia’s Map: A Story of the Extent and Mastery of Polynesian Navigation, Competing Systems of Wayfinding on James Cook’s Endeavor, and the Invention of an Ingenious Cartographic System.” The Journal of Pacific History, vol. 54, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1-95, doi.org/10.1080/00223344.2018....
    / stefanmilo
    Disclaimer: Use my videos as a rough guide to a topic. I am not an expert, I may get things wrong. This is why I always post my sources so you can critique my work and verify things for yourselves. Of course I aim to be as accurate as possible which is why you will only find reputable sources in my videos. Secondly, information is always subject to changes as new information is uncovered by archaeologists.
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    www.stefanmilo.com
    Historysmilo
    historysmilo

Komentáře • 4,4K

  • @StefanMilo
    @StefanMilo  Před rokem +328

    The first 100 people to use code STEFANMILO at the link below will get 60% off of Incogni: incogni.com/stefanmilo"

    • @formulajuan6038
      @formulajuan6038 Před rokem +4

      I thought you'd been hacked

    • @cattymajiv
      @cattymajiv Před rokem +9

      Stefan, can I ask you what you do for a living? I mean in a general way. I can't picture a man with kids being able to do this if he works in, for example, the concrete industry, or the financial industry, or any unrelated feild of endeavor. So I'm intrigued. But if you choose not to say, I'm ok with it, and I still love you and your work. (And your beautiful eyes and face, and great relatable manner, on top of your honesty and and intelligence. LOL! Not kidding!) Lotsa love from Canada! ❤ ❤ ❤

    • @fmac6441
      @fmac6441 Před rokem +2

      The study "Paths and timings of the peopling of Polynesia inferred from genomic networks" appears twice as a source in the description. However, the video appears to be very well researched.
      Congratulations on the brilliant work

    • @richardh8082
      @richardh8082 Před rokem +2

      @@cattymajiv And his lovely voice. So soothing :)

    • @hugod2000
      @hugod2000 Před rokem +1

      Amazing and fascinating video. Thank you for posting. 🙏

  • @StefanMilo
    @StefanMilo  Před rokem +2774

    What's extremely important to note here, is that I appreciate you watching.

    • @DingbatToast
      @DingbatToast Před rokem +44

      Love your vids dude 🙏🍻

    • @Giuachino
      @Giuachino Před rokem +37

      As a side note I would like to remind you, you’re a great person who has thought me a lot about the origin of me and the rest of your viewers!
      Never stop being you, we love you! ❤

    • @jeanettewaverly2590
      @jeanettewaverly2590 Před rokem +25

      We appreciate what you do, Stefan!

    • @Akkordeondirigent
      @Akkordeondirigent Před rokem +21

      I very much appreciate science based quality content like yours. So thank you very much!

    • @bennichols1113
      @bennichols1113 Před rokem +7

      545 am and I must have woken up for this. Yay

  • @paiwanhan
    @paiwanhan Před rokem +444

    Taiwanese here. Austronesian speaking Taiwanese cultures were famous for several thing in prehistory. 1. Pottery, which they would decorate by pressing shell or rope to make indentations. 2. Making clothes from the bark of paper mulberry trees. 3. Tattooing both face and body. 4. Removing front teeth, as well as blacken teeth for beauty. 5. Betel nut is culturally important because it's a symbol of love. 6. Manufacturing jade accessories including long jade tubes and jade pendants, and traded them to the Philippine islands and Vietnam. 7. Musical instruments such as Austronesian styled Jew harp and nose flute. 8. Wearing really long tubes, such as jade tubes mentioned above, as earrings, through pretty big holes in the ear lobes.
    Many of these traditions made it all the way to Polynesia, especially the paper mulberry trees, which can be traced back to Taiwan using DNA.

    • @StefanMilo
      @StefanMilo  Před rokem +98

      That's so cool! thank you for sharing that

    • @AfricanMaverick
      @AfricanMaverick Před rokem +44

      The claim that farming came to Oceania with Taiwanese farmers just 5,000 years ago, doesn’t hold grounds and doesn't explain the differences in physique between Taiwanese and Polynesians. Most likely, that claim will soon be debunked once more research is done. Certainly, Taiwanese farmers came however, there’s a strong possibility that the older humans who had lived in much of Oceania had already started farming, long before Taiwanese farmers came. This peer-reviewed study from the Max Planck Institute shows that proto-farming might have already been in the tropics of Papua New Guinea as early as 45,000 years ago.

    • @AfricanMaverick
      @AfricanMaverick Před rokem +16

      Polynesians have more East Asian admixtures from an archaic Hun Chinese/ Taiwanese group.

    • @absentmindedshirokuma8539
      @absentmindedshirokuma8539 Před rokem +108

      @@AfricanMaverick aboriginal taiwanese IS NOT the same with later han immigration. It's aboriginal taiwanese that Polynesian.

    • @obrnenydrevokocur9344
      @obrnenydrevokocur9344 Před rokem +43

      @@AfricanMaverick
      "proto-farming might have already been in the tropics of Papua New Guinea as early as 45,000 years ago."
      The earliest signs of human presence in what is now Papua New Guinea are from 45,000 years ago. They started to independently develop agriculture "only" 7,000 years ago. The spread of these agricultural methods was rather slow, after all there still are hunter-gatherer groups on the island even today.

  • @whatdamath
    @whatdamath Před 10 měsíci +115

    The world's longest trip to get a bag of patata chips

  • @darrensmith5997
    @darrensmith5997 Před 3 měsíci +56

    This is one of my favourite CZcams channels. This is how science is supposed to be presented. Lays out complex hypotheses in an easy to follow way. I love the fact that you don't pretend to know everything and present all competing theories and evidence to support them. Keep up the good work

    • @rooknado
      @rooknado Před 3 měsíci +3

      Fantastic review! Ive been following for a long time but this is the perfect way to put it :)

    • @peterpinn5330
      @peterpinn5330 Před 2 měsíci +3

      Absolutely the reason why I love this channel. No "final truth", no " scientists will hate this", but a solid, respectful way of presenting things. That's my kind of science ethics.

  • @modusartsgroup
    @modusartsgroup Před rokem +622

    What a great channel. Really refreshing. No "ancient aliens" artifices and, bonus, a sandbagged frontline against them. Many thanks, Stefan Milo! Really good.

    • @hannahbrown2728
      @hannahbrown2728 Před rokem +19

      If you havent found World of Antiquity or Miniminuteman theyre both exceptional channels just like Stefans.

    • @grades6831
      @grades6831 Před rokem +10

      @@hannahbrown2728miniminute man annoying. Stefan far superior

    • @hannahbrown2728
      @hannahbrown2728 Před rokem +13

      @@grades6831 I mean to each their own, I find him very entertaining and down to earth, which is a quality I think he shares with Stefan in abundance.
      We shouldnt disparge folks who are fighting a good fight because they dont strike the cords we vibe with most, dont you think?

    • @bagbroch9339
      @bagbroch9339 Před rokem

      We should be allowed to eat the people who make those channels…

    • @Thunderous333
      @Thunderous333 Před rokem +5

      ​@@hannahbrown2728 They didn't disparage it, they literally just gave you their taste. This isn't some cosmic avengers level reddit threat, it's entertainers and my man reserves the right to his opinion and support to anyone he wants. Chill man.

  • @hernawanrahmadi1545
    @hernawanrahmadi1545 Před rokem +549

    How ironic that Thor Heyerdahl met 'tei tetua' and informed that their ancestors are from The East. While I am from Java and living in Sumatra, half a globe away west of Fatu Hifa, I linguistically understood that 'tei tetua' literally means ancestor or elderly.

    • @mrbaab5932
      @mrbaab5932 Před rokem +41

      Because Indonesia was settled by the native Taiwaneze and left their language. Just like Easter Island.

    • @robertscheinost179
      @robertscheinost179 Před rokem +28

      The cardinal points are social constructs. South could have been his North.They WERE in the Southern Hemisphere and the star referred to as the Southern Cross is the sky's most notable, most important celestial feature.

    • @davidbeddoe6670
      @davidbeddoe6670 Před rokem

      @@robertscheinost179 That's retarded. Every people you think of as native to the Southern hemisphere has had well-remembered roots in the Northern Hemisphere. East was seen at the direction by which you ORIENT yourself in navigation since forever, for humanity, because that's where the sun "comes from". It's no more a social construct than is gravity. Though I'm sure you consider the term "Orient" to be somehow racist as well. **Fapping hand-motion**

    • @chrsmcfrln
      @chrsmcfrln Před rokem +41

      @@robertscheinost179 that might be true for continental societies who can use mountain ranges and rivers for reference, but not in the Pacific. Pacific cultures use cardinal points for true direction.

    • @manchagojohnsonmanchago6367
      @manchagojohnsonmanchago6367 Před rokem +29

      Yep malayopolynesian languages have very sumilar core vocabulary.. Even counting sounds simikar

  • @pcatful
    @pcatful Před 10 měsíci +235

    Respect for the Polynesian Voyaging Society and Native Hawaiian activists for revitalizing the Polynesian culture, along with other Pacific Islanders, and helping people understand the capabilities and cultural significance of all the Polynesian expansion in the Pacific. This legacy is largely why you see the pictures of the beautiful voyaging canoes being built today (from all over Polynesia and beyond) and the other indigenous cultural examples in the this video. I would think the genetics of the kumara should tell us more.

    • @hamasmillitant1
      @hamasmillitant1 Před 9 měsíci +15

      you know australia has rock paintings(now being destroyed by industrial chemicals that show high prowed boats/ocean going vesels 40,000 yrs ago according to the dating. i think their was another migration around 40000 yrs ago also just from those rock
      paintings

    • @pcatful
      @pcatful Před 9 měsíci +9

      @@hamasmillitant1 That's a lot longer ago than the migrations that went into the Pacific. They had to get to Australia somehow. Also there's indication of voyaging across to Africa.

    • @goldgeologist5320
      @goldgeologist5320 Před 8 měsíci

      Thank you for presenting this information thereby expanding my knowledge.

    • @teresafernandez9849
      @teresafernandez9849 Před 6 měsíci +9

      The ancient DNA studies have been done and verified. The Aboriginals of Australia r from ASIA, not Africa, the Natives of Papua New Guinea, the Negritos from the Philippines and others, are all from ASIA, not Africa. The ppl from USA, r so obsessed with skin color and race, they seem to have lost the capacity to grasp the science and concept of skin color and race. It's been known for a long time that diet and environment can dictate ur physical appearance.

    • @ShiNooBi1986
      @ShiNooBi1986 Před 5 měsíci +1

      ​@pcatful it's possible the dates of polynesian voyaging is wrong

  • @joshuapatrick682
    @joshuapatrick682 Před 11 měsíci +3

    Finding evidence of a meeting of two cultures that only met once in history may leave no genetic traces.

  • @garygreen2146
    @garygreen2146 Před rokem +432

    I am a Maori New Zealander, thank you for this upload about pre-European Polynesian and Indigenous people of the Americas. This basically gels with our own oral histories , nice to see scientific research catching up with Polynesian traditional knowledge

    • @eeeaten
      @eeeaten Před 11 měsíci +10

      I can only think of one aspect of Māori oral history that could be relevant: that kumara was present in nz before the arrival of Columbus in the americas. Is there something else you had in mind?

    • @blazer9547
      @blazer9547 Před 11 měsíci +7

      Thing about science is that it waits for no one. Scientific research would soon debunk Maori understandings and way of knowings.
      Would you be sympathetic to sciences then?

    • @eeeaten
      @eeeaten Před 11 měsíci +29

      @@blazer9547 what do you mean? Māori knowledge and understanding is based on the natural world: what works and what doesn’t work based on observation and prediction. There are myths and magical explanations that can be shown to be untrue, but tikanga exists for good reasons.

    • @silencemeviolateme6076
      @silencemeviolateme6076 Před 11 měsíci

      Is there a birdman in your culture?

    • @ironcladranchandforge7292
      @ironcladranchandforge7292 Před 11 měsíci +10

      Absolutely fascinating!! Polynesians were truly masters of the sea. When considering the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, it boggles the mind.

  • @MNVelo
    @MNVelo Před rokem +247

    This is one of my favorite subjects.
    The discovery of the pacific islands by Polynesian navigators is one of mankind’s most awe inspiring achievements and their navigation techniques are amongst the greatest pre-industrial technologies.

    • @scania1982
      @scania1982 Před rokem +6

      How the fxck did they find Hawaii?

    • @bozo5632
      @bozo5632 Před rokem +19

      ​@@scania1982 Polynesian sea magic.

    • @AfricanMaverick
      @AfricanMaverick Před rokem +47

      _The Polynesians knew the language of the stars. They had a highly developed navigation system that involved not only observation of the stars as they rose and crossed the night sky, but the memorisation of entire sky charts. Throughout the Pacific, island navigators taught young men the skills acquired over generations. Navigational knowledge was a closely guarded secret within a navigator family, and education started at an early age. In Kiribati, for example, lessons were taught in the maneaba (meeting house) where rafters and beams were sectioned off to correspond to a segment of the night sky. The position of each star at sunrise and sunset and the star paths between islands were etched into memory. Stones and shells were placed on mats or in the sand to teach star-lore. Karakia (prayer) and oral stories contained references to navigation instructions. Te Ika-roa, for example, meant the Milky Way; Atua-tahi is Canopus; Tawera is Venus the morning star; Meremere is Venus the evening star. The following are navigational instructions from Kupe:_
      Polynesian Navigation & Settlement of the Pacific - worldhistory

    • @MNVelo
      @MNVelo Před rokem +21

      @@scania1982in addition to advanced stellar navigation, it seems they also used knowledge of wave patterns, ocean currents, bird migration, cloud formations and even patterns of bioluminescence to identify potential locations of undiscovered islands.
      I’m sure there are numerous other systems of knowledge that I’m leaving out of my response, but looking into of any of those techniques should provide a few fascinating rabbit holes to explore.

    • @lost_porkchop
      @lost_porkchop Před rokem +5

      @@scania1982 They were looking for resort locations when they bumped into it/them

  • @Mosiveiau
    @Mosiveiau Před 11 měsíci +70

    During my 3yr posting as an adviser on Pohnpei, FSM, there were numerous accounts of mexican fishermen who were lost at sea off the west coast of south america and drifted thousands of nautical miles to the Micronesian islands of the Marshalls and FSM.

    • @angelikaopland7880
      @angelikaopland7880 Před 7 měsíci +7

      Those South American fishermen had unusually capable balsa rafts, able to sail upwind with arrays of adjustable daggerboards. They left archaeological evidence at most of the easily accessible beaches of the Galapagos Islands, & were commented on by the first Spaniards to navigate South along the West coast, who admired the abilities & size of the first sailing raft they encountered, which was a coastal trader, not lost at all.

    • @whatgoesaroundcomesaround920
      @whatgoesaroundcomesaround920 Před 6 měsíci +6

      @mosiveiau
      There are populations along the Pacific coast of Mexico that are descended from Chinese mariners who ended up shipwrecked there. Some are supposed to be pre-Columbian.

    • @Bruski1988
      @Bruski1988 Před 5 měsíci

      There are also stories of pre-Columbian Chinese voyages along the North American coast, but there is an absence of archeological or DNA evidence to support either claim. @@whatgoesaroundcomesaround920

    • @andyjay729
      @andyjay729 Před 4 měsíci +9

      @@whatgoesaroundcomesaround920 One of the first known examples of a Japanese person in North America was in the early 1800s, when a fisherman was washed out to sea and eventually landed on the coast of present-day Washington State. He was enslaved by the native Makah tribe.

    • @rooknado
      @rooknado Před 3 měsíci

      @@andyjay729WOAH

  • @neesaljohnson86
    @neesaljohnson86 Před 2 měsíci +5

    This is when I am grateful fir the algorithms in You tube. Don't know what relationship was between looking at a video and Chilean fashion and Bolivian fashion and indigenous people yesterday but here you are. Thank you for your enlightening information and articulated description of genome data. Truly amazing

  • @MrThrashmetal101
    @MrThrashmetal101 Před rokem +471

    Hey man, I’m from New Zealand. Polynesian Māori. I appreciate the effort you put into this, you pretty much nailed it 👍🏾. In our oral history our tribes (iwi) discovered different parts of New Zealand to settle in as far back as the 1200s.

    • @libraryofthoughts0
      @libraryofthoughts0 Před 11 měsíci +10

      That's very intriguing! greetings from Finland!

    • @heatherhawkless484
      @heatherhawkless484 Před 11 měsíci

      what do you think about the "skeletons in the closet" documentary? czcams.com/video/PBFpGayPATs/video.html

    • @OlohanaYoung
      @OlohanaYoung Před 11 měsíci +8

      u r wrong.. Aotearoa was populated well after all the rest of Polynesia... try read a book or 10

    • @edwardlatimer2239
      @edwardlatimer2239 Před 11 měsíci +12

      All studies on settlement in Aotearoa were done in the 30 and 40 Technology has improved thousand per cent since then and researchers 4:36 4:36 need to revisit and reanalyze what people wrote back then

    • @silencemeviolateme6076
      @silencemeviolateme6076 Před 11 měsíci +1

      Is there a birdman in your culture?

  • @stankythecat6735
    @stankythecat6735 Před rokem +103

    I have flown back and forth across the pacific MANY times . It’s insane how vast it is. You can fly for 10 hours and not see. Land .

    • @mtman2
      @mtman2 Před 13 dny +2

      Yes "more then vast" is a descript, these incredible sailing peoples could live on the ocean as a way of live = getting water and food as they went as well a large stored coconut cache' on board = the real waterworld...!

  • @brettevill9055
    @brettevill9055 Před 11 měsíci +50

    I wonder whether it would be possible and informative to do a genetic study of local strains of sweet potato in the area.

    • @hiselbii5326
      @hiselbii5326 Před 7 měsíci +7

      It would absolutely be possible, but you would have to be careful about the results. Many vegetables are genetically very different from how they were a few decades or centuries ago, a lot of mixing and modification going on and all that. But if you had a more wild/old kind of sweet potato, it would be very interesting indeed.

  • @yuraqmisi6463
    @yuraqmisi6463 Před 9 měsíci +26

    I personally think that the Polynesians came to the coast of Ecuador, not Colombia. This is because there seem to be certain similarities between their cultures:
    - On the coast of Ecuador, the Manteño-Huancavilca culture developed, a culture with an affinity for the sea.
    - The people of the Manteño-Huancavilca culture were great merchants who used to travel by sea in large rafts to Central America to exchange their products.
    - The currency of exchange of these transactions was the spondylus shell. To obtain them they had to dive great depths using large stones as weights.
    - Their rafts were characterized by using sails, something unusual in the American continent before the arrival of the Europeans.
    - These sails were triangular in shape, not square like the Spanish ones.
    - Their main crop was probably sweet potato, due to the forested environment in which they lived. Potatoes, on the other hand, were a more common crop in the Andean highlands.
    Tal vez existió cierta influencia entre ambas culturas. Nada es seguro, pero si realmente existe una respuesta creo que se encuentra en la costa de Ecuador.

  • @PhotoTrekr
    @PhotoTrekr Před rokem +277

    Polynesians might well have reached South America in the past. It's amazing how they navigated the Pacific ocean.

    • @AfricanMaverick
      @AfricanMaverick Před rokem +22

      The Australo-Melanesian/Andamanese ancestors of Polynesians had contact with Amerindians pre-Colombian times.
      Polynesian ancestors sailed back from the Americas bringing Native American admixture into the Pacific islands.
      This study details the admixture.
      _Native American gene flow into Polynesia predating Easter Island settlement | Nature_

    • @robertscheinost179
      @robertscheinost179 Před rokem +11

      I liken it to a prehistoric moon shot.

    • @j2ll1
      @j2ll1 Před rokem +12

      @@AfricanMaverick There’s no evidence of Polynesians related to the andamese. They’re mostly austronesians & and there’s no evidenced and andamanese moving towards the pacific. Unless you’re talking about the Papuans, then yes they migrated to the pacific, but the Papuans and melanesians are genetically different from Andamanese people.

    • @_Opal_Miner_
      @_Opal_Miner_ Před rokem +3

      You have to go fairly far South before you encounter any prevailing Westerley winds that would allow you to travel across the Pacific to South America. You would have definitely encountered and settled New Zealand 1st.

    • @MarcosElMalo2
      @MarcosElMalo2 Před rokem +14

      @@robertscheinost179 Can you imagine the failed voyages? How many went out? How many unsuccessful voyages returned and how many had no survivors? Maybe there were other points of contact but the return voyage was unsuccessful.
      What are the odds that the single voyage that made contact wasn’t preceded and followed by other attempts?
      All that said, my biggest question is, “so what?”. Or to rephrase it, What effect did this contact have on the Polynesian and American cultures? The camote (or sweet potato) is one evidence of an exchange. Possibly the poultry. The genetics, of course. But is there any evidence of influence in either direction?
      I’ve asked the same question about pre-Columbus European settlement on Greenland. Did it have any discernible effect on nearby American populations? Did the American people have cultural interactions with the Europeans? The answers there seem to be “no”.

  • @michaelwale9933
    @michaelwale9933 Před rokem +333

    Stefan has single handily opened up my interest in DNA studies and archaeology.

    • @a.wenger3964
      @a.wenger3964 Před rokem +8

      I highly recomend David Reich's book:
      "Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past"
      It was published in 2018, but there's so much good information in there about the Ancient DNA revolution in archeaology being so recent but transformative for understanding the past.

    • @GuyInAChair3
      @GuyInAChair3 Před rokem +4

      I want to recommend a podcast called "The Insight" they are not currently putting out new content, and their last episode was in mid 2020. However they have a lot of episodes, and they go into great detail about genetics and ancient DNA. They have an episode that is an interview with the author of the study discussed here who showed that the Polynesians likely reached the Americas.

    • @GuyInAChair3
      @GuyInAChair3 Před rokem +3

      @@a.wenger3964 That is a very good book, I'll double this recommendation.

    • @TheFutureMike
      @TheFutureMike Před rokem +3

      He actually has two hands.

    • @bigguy7353
      @bigguy7353 Před rokem

      This has been known for a couple decades. There's also DNA evidence that suggests ancient Chinese and even Hebrew or some Caucasian people from around the Sinai peninsula made it to The Americas (not just "America") as long as 800-1200 years ago.

  • @MrStealYaWifey
    @MrStealYaWifey Před 10 měsíci +40

    Samoan here, the languages are explained in present day as different dialect. However, the explanation of accents makes more sense.
    Also, the modern catamaran is modelled on polynesian design, along with the Sydney Opera house has very very close similarities with the way the fale samoa is built.
    peace to Tagaloa's children! POLYNESIA ARE ALL ONE RACE!

    • @thkempe
      @thkempe Před 7 měsíci +4

      The Sydney Opera House was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, which makes any trace of Samoan tradition pretty unlikely.

    • @manuhamoa
      @manuhamoa Před 6 měsíci +7

      @MrStealYaWifey follow the linguistic (and migration) route, etymology bro, Savaii (Sam), Havaii (Tah), Avaiki (Cook Is), Hawaii (USA), Hawaiki (Aotearoa). Similar to Maoí (Sam), Maohi (Tah), Maoli (Haw), Maori (Avaiki & Aotearoa) means indigenous. Throughout Pacific, Tokelau=North, Tonga=South, Center=Home of Tagaloa/Tangaroa, God of the Sea, the seafarers. Tagaloa's son Moa, means center, origin of word Moana, ocean, the oceanic people of Sa-Moana.....whakawhetai, nga mihi, malo áupito, ma le faaaloalo lava

    • @MrStealYaWifey
      @MrStealYaWifey Před 6 měsíci +3

      💯 Not only linguistically, also culturally & religiously similar creeds giving acknowledgement to Tagaloa. Tagaloa also left behind tenets for his children to flourish from his gift of life and land.
      There is a foundation of independence and unity to flourish for Tagata Pasifika.
      But the realization of our source is Tagaloa is good enough for me. At least his children know where home is, and starting to wake up.

    • @PremierCCGuyMMXVI
      @PremierCCGuyMMXVI Před 5 měsíci

      Tbh all of us are part one “race”

  • @dougkoger2277
    @dougkoger2277 Před 11 měsíci +28

    Excellent video! My wife and I sailed to the Marquesas in 2019 and have been wandering around French Poly ever since in between time back in U.S. It's important to note that Polynesians achieved their astounding voyages across the Pacific against the prevailing wind. Their catamarans were certainly very capable as evidenced by where they established settlements. It would be surprising if they didn't make it to South America. If some archeological evidence were to be found in the Galapagos if not mainland South America, that would be more definitive. Hopefully future DNA surveys will find South Americans with Polynesian ancestry. Fascinating stuff!

    • @TheBelrick
      @TheBelrick Před 3 měsíci +1

      But let's be clear, they did NOT navigate. They had no knowledge of navigation . They went where the wind and tide took them. Remember, we do not know of the many failed journeys, only the successful ones. This creates massive bias.

    • @patriciamoke15
      @patriciamoke15 Před 9 dny

      @@TheBelrickthat’s not true our people utilised the environment stars wind birds current sails and manpower

    • @patriciamoke15
      @patriciamoke15 Před 9 dny

      @@TheBelrickand the sun they knew the sun rose in the east and set in the west

  • @nicholassmith5611
    @nicholassmith5611 Před rokem +75

    In Hawai’i, sweet potato is called uala. When I was in Peru for WIPCE in 2011, I got to listen to a super interesting conversation between a Tahitian elder, Quechua man, and another from Lebanon if I remember correctly. The Tahitian and Quechua men made the connection that their respective names for sweet potato were too similar to discount. The Tahitian man talked about a story they have from antiquity, about a prince visiting Tahiti from the east, bringing with him the knowledge to improve the Tahitian stone working and building techniques, and the sweet potato. The Quechua man likewise, talked about their cultural knowledge of the sons of a particular Inca king, one of whom went on an adventure to the west.
    The man from Lebanon (it was either Lebanon or somewhere close) chimed in and said that strangely enough, the word they were using for sweet potato was his word for prince.
    In Hawai’i, we all hear stories growing up about a race of smaller people who were expert builders called menehune, or in some cases Mu, the stone people. I have been thinking it would be so cool if menehune were inca.

    • @nicholassmith5611
      @nicholassmith5611 Před rokem +11

      So in Quechua, it’s Cumar or Kumara or Cumal. In Tahitian is Umara. Very close, and it’s easy to see how one could become the other, as with Uala in Hawai’i.

    • @pcatful
      @pcatful Před 10 měsíci +3

      @@nicholassmith5611 When we traveled in New Zealand we helped some farmers plant kumara. I had never heard the name before or know about the legacy, though I had farmed in Hawaii and we had sweet potato there. I don't know if this is a modern name or the Maori name.

    • @LeonMoka-nm6py
      @LeonMoka-nm6py Před 10 měsíci +2

      Varacocho came across pacific long befor went to wrap..Rapanui 7 main statues are them continued west left thier mark in Tonga Samoa Nan madol indonesia ..American Indians iñ the Pacific by Thor Heyerdahl

    • @rakim126
      @rakim126 Před 10 měsíci +3

      Wow...menehune from south America..very interesting idea. I thought the homo floresiensis (very small hominins) presence in southeast Asia was a no Brainer for the origin of the menehune. So many questions. I love it. What I find fascinating is the island dwarfism of some pacific island populations (floresiensis, menehune) and the island gigantism of other pacific island populations (Samoans, kanaka, maori). The islands either made people real big or real small haha

    • @got2kittys
      @got2kittys Před 10 měsíci +1

      Mayan architecture is amazing stone work.

  • @hnaku8748
    @hnaku8748 Před rokem +171

    Hey Stefan, love your channel. I myself come from a very small tribe in India (though we might look more like East Asians than the general Indian population, if that interests) called Apatani. I've encountered similar issues when trying to search for our concrete origins. I've tried going the genetic route, but the data is severely lacking. Similarly there's only very small amount of finding in archaeological side, which tells us very less. Our tribal culture is similar to the South Chinese/South East Asians/Austroasiatic(or even Austronesians if we want to stretch it) as in use of tattoos, stilt houses, way we use orature etc. All of these point to an origin more Southern than our current place. But the linguistic side(at least on the surface) suggests a Northern origin(Tibeto-Burman). We have shamans/priests who keep track of oral records of myth, facts, and stories. Their record notes of the tribal migration being from North to South. To our geographical North is Tibet, to which we share our land boundary divided by the Himalayas. Our trade of goods before British India demarcated us as part of India was majorly held with the Tibetans than the Indians. The goods are still highly regarded. We also have our own exonym for the Tibetan ethnicity. Which makes the idea of Northern origin very plausible too, given Tibetans themselves are generally deemed to have migrated from further North. Although right now, we're not too alike culturally in general.
    All of these leaves us in a blur and an origin filled with mist. If some day time permits and you could touch that side I'd be very grateful, since you've done Indian subcontinent before. Thanks for the videos, I really enjoyed this one.

    • @MrJinXiao
      @MrJinXiao Před rokem +8

      Ooh fascinating!

    • @narsimhas1360
      @narsimhas1360 Před rokem +5

      Interesting

    • @diogosaraiva9547
      @diogosaraiva9547 Před rokem +6

      Thanks for sharing that, made me want to find out more!

    • @johnsherfey3675
      @johnsherfey3675 Před rokem +1

      Have you yourself taken a DNA test, maybe get a friend to too, and check out what's closest genetically to use using some gene apps online?

    • @hnaku8748
      @hnaku8748 Před rokem +18

      @@johnsherfey3675 I've thought about that, but the popular products aren't easily available here and are not the cheapest(good ones start from like 270 USD, I use a phone cheaper than that; the only available 23andMe bundle costs more than 450 USD). Moreover I've read that the ones from China are more suited and accurate for East Asian ethnicities as they provide better classification with more data (for example, even under the Tibeto-Burman category they'd provide further details of ethnic composition like Yi, Naxi, Qiang etc.). We don't get that with the likes of 23andMe. But the Chinese ones just aren't available.
      In the end decided that at least for now it's not worth the hassle, specially if it's not accurate. But of course the option is still open if some day I could travel to China (people from our state legally can't currently unless under national service, because politics) or at least import the DNA products :(
      I've tried to instead hop on to research papers that have already collected genetic samples from Southern Tibet, and make do with it. I'm not an expert so my conclusions would certainly not be the best. But no harm trying.
      Since the data on single field is scarce, I thought people from multiple fields viewing it would be nice. Stefan has the whole channel dedicated to such stuff, so here I am :)

  • @taradeviwest9351
    @taradeviwest9351 Před 11 měsíci +7

    I'm a Melanesian (whose ancestry goes back to the Taiwanese Indigenous). I can tell u that we share the same roots in language, the food n cultures. Hiva , I believe , is the name of our ancestral mother, Eva.. or in our Sanskrit (from the Hindu Buddha influence) called Tara, Dara, the goddess of the moon..
    The same belief, all over the world.

    • @eeeaten
      @eeeaten Před 10 měsíci

      the last half of your post appears to be opinion. also indigenous taiwanese were/are austronesian, not melanesian.

    • @taradeviwest9351
      @taradeviwest9351 Před 10 měsíci +3

      @eeeaten opinion, of coz, but I'm from the melanesian side of southeast asia, not austro-nesian.. we look very different too, but have almost the similar general culture, arts, food, and language. I used to read a few researchers regarding our dna heritage, the Polynesian-Melanesian group.
      But of cz I'm no expert, just someone who is interested in our heritage.
      It's amazing that all of us have the same menu : rice wrapped banana leaves and cooked in bamboos & that sweet potatoes being very important ingredient.
      😄🦬🌏

  • @1Ma9iN8tive
    @1Ma9iN8tive Před 9 měsíci +9

    Fantastic video my friend. Probably THE BEST synopsis of our Polynesian history of populating the Pacific. Well done. Really, really well done. This is the quality we are looking for when people treat our Polynesian Austronesian families in their research.
    Arohanui
    From Aotearoa New Zealand

  • @Demandroid
    @Demandroid Před rokem +243

    I’m wondering if anyone had examined the genetics of the sweet potatoes to see when/where they ended up in Polynesia?

    • @mrbaab5932
      @mrbaab5932 Před rokem +16

      Good idea.

    • @jrc6193
      @jrc6193 Před rokem +25

      and chickens

    • @AfricanMaverick
      @AfricanMaverick Před rokem +87

      You should read this article titled “Reconciling Conflicting Phylogenies in the Origin of Sweet Potato and Dispersal to Polynesia” .
      According to the article, the sweet potato arrived in Polynesia by long-distance dispersal in pre-human times. The authors provide evidence that the sweet potato was present in Polynesia in pre-human times and that it negates the need to invoke ancient human-mediated transport as an explanation for its presence in Polynesia.

    • @AfricanMaverick
      @AfricanMaverick Před rokem +28

      @@jrc6193 as for chickens read: "Using ancient DNA to study the origins and dispersal of ancestral Polynesian chickens across the Pacific"

    • @timlewis5527
      @timlewis5527 Před rokem +70

      ​@@AfricanMaverick the sweet potatoe was selectively bred to be a crop plant. Seems highly unlikely that a wild variant predating human cultivation would arrive, be cultivated in the same way in two places, and then die out in the wild. I haven't read the paper but that in my mind that is pretty hard to reconcile.

  • @Sensirebel
    @Sensirebel Před rokem +37

    Ok, I'm from the area where the Lapita pottery was found, around the Bismark Archipelago the Melanesian Islands of Papua New Guinea and the most Northerly Island of the North Solomon Islands Archipelago (Nissan Island). In my language the word for sweet potato is also Kumal, the exact same word used by the Quechua in South America.

    • @josem.deteresa2282
      @josem.deteresa2282 Před 11 měsíci +3

      I guess Micronesian culture may have imported sweet potatoes from Polynesia, along whith its name

    • @anneka3980
      @anneka3980 Před 11 měsíci +1

      Yes. And other words like for corn… found among the Quechua

  • @SenorTucano
    @SenorTucano Před 2 měsíci +2

    I visited RapaNui last year and heard some of them talking in their language. Incredibly I could understand them and they were astonished when I greeted them in New Zealand Māori.

  • @sahulianhooligan7046
    @sahulianhooligan7046 Před rokem +66

    They reached Australia too, ancient lapita pottery shards found in Lizard and Green Island near Queensland. And the Australian Aboriginal tribe that lived opposite Lizard Island on the mainland have a word for canoe which appears to be a Austronesian loan word

    • @fadhil2831
      @fadhil2831 Před rokem +14

      Not just that,there also makassar tripang trade route,the bugis and makassar of sulawesi reach and trade with native people in coast of darwin and make temporary outpost for trade and drying tripang

    • @kidslovesatan34
      @kidslovesatan34 Před rokem

      ​@@fadhil2831 That's true.

    • @kidslovesatan34
      @kidslovesatan34 Před rokem +2

      OP, that's news to me. Do you have a citation for that factoid?

    • @st4r444
      @st4r444 Před 10 měsíci +1

      Polynesians are the new "we wuz everthang"

    • @rebeccabriggs2982
      @rebeccabriggs2982 Před 9 měsíci +1

      ​@st4r444 sounds about right. I'm in New Zealand and had enough of the hierarchy trying to be put in place.

  • @youtube_moderator
    @youtube_moderator Před rokem +183

    Māori here. We knew that post migration, there was still back and forth trade in obsidian with the islands and that there are stories of migration ancestors returning to the islands from which they came - after - landing and settling in Aotearoa (NZ). We have origin myths about a mythical ancestral homeland called Hawaiki, but no-one knows if it refers to a specific location. In 1350 CE a 'great fleet' of seven canoes - Aotea, Kurahaupō, Mataatua, Tainui, Tokomaru, Te Arawa and Tākitimu - all departed from the Tahitian region at the same time, bringing the people now known as Māori to Aotearoa.

    • @kelleren4840
      @kelleren4840 Před 11 měsíci +16

      Kia ora from the states!
      Hoping to emmigrate permanently to Aotearoa here in the next few years.
      Beautiful land, incredible people. Truly the best place on earth.

    • @edwardlatimer2239
      @edwardlatimer2239 Před 11 měsíci +12

      Some say the Waka left from cook island as well

    • @xroadwalker
      @xroadwalker Před 11 měsíci +9

      Tainui left from aitutaki

    • @davidortega357
      @davidortega357 Před 10 měsíci +3

      It's possible that Polynesians came to north American west coast intermarry with north west coast tlingit Haida, kwahkuitl Chinook, pomp tongva chumash

    • @alive2583
      @alive2583 Před 10 měsíci

      @@davidortega357 When though?

  • @Grimpy970
    @Grimpy970 Před 11 měsíci +6

    Thank you for breaking down this information in a way that is easily understood! There's no chance I could have deciphered those graphs and diagrams without more context. Thanks for all your hard work. You're doing a service to mankind!

  • @robbert-jankaagman661
    @robbert-jankaagman661 Před 11 měsíci +1

    It was a pleasure to listen to you, looking forward to more of these masterpieces.

  • @tearoapouhaereiti9060
    @tearoapouhaereiti9060 Před rokem +118

    I am a Māori from Aotearoa, New Zealand and we have a type of potato here called the 'Peruperu', according to oral history its said to have been named after the land of whence our ancestors got them from, Peru in South America.

    • @rizkyadiyanto7922
      @rizkyadiyanto7922 Před 11 měsíci +26

      The name "Peru" is derived from the word "Biru," which was the name of a ruling Inca chief who lived in the region in the 16th century. The Spanish explorers who arrived in the region in the 1500s named the country "Perú" after the chief, and the name has been used ever since.
      Biru reminds me of some certain color...

    • @bittersweet340
      @bittersweet340 Před 11 měsíci +2

      @@rizkyadiyanto7922 So where did the Maori know how to build "Reed Boats" from!

    • @buzzardscry1383
      @buzzardscry1383 Před 11 měsíci +1

      🤯

    • @teresafernandez9849
      @teresafernandez9849 Před 10 měsíci +20

      Hi.. Mexican here, live in California. We are cousins! We share DNA! Take good care of yourself, ur family!!

    • @azhariusman9428
      @azhariusman9428 Před 10 měsíci

      🫵😂

  • @tydli
    @tydli Před rokem +96

    As a Colombian, it's fun to explore our genetics because they are all over the place. I somehow felt that there could be a relationship between Polynesia and the Americas, but it thought it was from the Pacific to the land, not the other way around. It's fascinating!

    • @hamasmillitant1
      @hamasmillitant1 Před 9 měsíci +7

      well, i remember being told as a kid that the first japanese where Polynesian/from tiawan that they arrived their 100s of yrs before they migrated to samoa ext, so they could very well have continued migrating over to america and arrived there 100s of years before this study deals with

    • @ObjectiveMedia
      @ObjectiveMedia Před 7 měsíci

      Ultimately all humans are descended from a common ancestor. Thousands of years of “inbreeding” created different ethnicities

    • @PremierCCGuyMMXVI
      @PremierCCGuyMMXVI Před 5 měsíci +2

      @@ObjectiveMediaall modern humans alive today - Homo Sapien Sapiens - all have their earliest ancestors in Africa no more than 90,000 years ago. So yes you are correct.

    • @PremierCCGuyMMXVI
      @PremierCCGuyMMXVI Před 5 měsíci

      @@hamasmillitant1 I think that’s wrong, the first Homo Sapiens that arrived in Japan (besides the Jomon people) migrated from Korea and China.

    • @PremierCCGuyMMXVI
      @PremierCCGuyMMXVI Před 5 měsíci +2

      @@dcatterz7048 I mean we don’t know everything about science and our evolutionary history but based on our knowledge of genetics and fossil remains, we are very confident our species didn’t leave Africa until 100,000 years ago at the earliest.

  • @StrandedKnight84
    @StrandedKnight84 Před 11 měsíci +23

    Thor Heyerdahl is a controversial figure even here in Norway. He didn't really follow the scientific method, and usually worked off his intuition. But he let us dream about possibilities with his daring voyages and definitely inspired many scientists that came later.

    • @beowulf1312
      @beowulf1312 Před 10 měsíci +7

      Thor was his own man and wasn't a trained anthropologist. He was a guy who loved the Pacific. After the turmoil of the war and the Nazi invasion of his country, he wanted to explore and renew his life. He had a hunch and had the courage and energy to set up and do his expedition. It was a great experiment, vindicated in large part by the DNA we now know about.

    • @jcdenton1635
      @jcdenton1635 Před 4 měsíci +2

      @@beowulf1312 Sometimes it takes a crazy genius to go out there and push the boundaries of what's possible to make a new discovery. It is fitting that we now know more about Polynesian history because of the efforts of a man who channeled the same courage and determination as the Polynesians he studied.
      That being said, Thor Heyerdahl's theories were a hit or miss. Mostly misses, actually. Okay, almost ENTIRELY misses. But he can have this one thing right?😂

    • @fion1flatout
      @fion1flatout Před 4 měsíci +1

      >'m pretty disgusted at Stefan calling one of Thor's ideas 'racist'. It seems pretty reasonable to me for Thor to speculate that, during the age of Viking voyages, a seafarer might have Nordic links. This whole video is about genetics, you could call tall of it racist if you took a negative standpoint

    • @Who_Let_The_Dogs_Out_10-7
      @Who_Let_The_Dogs_Out_10-7 Před 4 měsíci +2

      @@fion1flatout @6:30 I think this is why some people call Graham Hancock a racist. Apparently, it's common for native peoples around the world to say that their "bringers of civilization" or whatever, were white.
      Now, to insist that "white" meant "European"... That might be racist. Maybe they were what We call "Yellow". We have too much to learn, yet.

    • @jcdenton1635
      @jcdenton1635 Před 4 měsíci +3

      @@fion1flatout Honestly, it doesn't seem that reasonable. Why would anyone expect the Vikings to reach the Pacific Islands when they didn't even sail to Southern Africa, which was much closer? It reminds me of the theories that claim Vikings built the pyramids of Central America. It simply doesn't make sense when you consider that no such pyramids exist in Europe, itself, let alone an entirely different continent.
      The only thing sort of mindset I can think of that would account for such a wild theory is a racist one. If you believe the natives were so unadvanced that you would rather credit an entirely different people who have no such history in their own land, I don't know what else to call that theory other than racist.

  • @beachboy0505
    @beachboy0505 Před 11 měsíci +5

    10:50
    Captain Cook meeting T'pia was one of history's greatest meetings.

  • @andywhelan8608
    @andywhelan8608 Před rokem +72

    Videos like this are why Stefan is one of the best science communicators in the world. Fantastic work.

  • @atomic_wait
    @atomic_wait Před rokem +27

    I was just reading about this topic, perfect timing. Polynesian navigators are all-time badasses.

    • @tsa3b
      @tsa3b Před rokem +1

      It's almost as if they're following the subscribers 🤔 I subscribed recently then revisited Polynesian DNA links and history and today here we are 🤯 ✋pshhh🤚

    • @OlohanaYoung
      @OlohanaYoung Před 11 měsíci

      he is so wrong on this its laughable....
      so where are the mango avocado sapote pineapple frogs gold parrot silver monkey snake copper orchids iguana bigcats turtles mahogany etc. etc. in Polynesia?
      u got it ALL BACKWARDS... a fisherman from Peru drifted one way to Marquesas c1200 .. made it to shore with sweet potatoes in his canoe.... THE END
      duh

  • @mrwelshmun
    @mrwelshmun Před 4 měsíci +1

    Stefan my main man, absolutely loving your videos. Only just found your channel in the last week. I've already watched about 10 of your videos. You bring light, insight and curiosity to some of my favourite topics and I'm absolutely here to stay for it. Keep up the good work pal!

  • @mohammedsadiq6291
    @mohammedsadiq6291 Před 9 měsíci +1

    Mate, I've been watching your videos for a while. I'm left mesmerised each time. Keep up the great work

  • @AE-ix2iz
    @AE-ix2iz Před rokem +94

    As a longtime fan of your channel and a Polynesian of Samoan descent, I’m just loving this.
    It’s amazing to see Polynesian stories/legends being verified by science. Also, despite the heavy colorism within the Polynesian community the evidence should speak for themselves.
    Thank you Stefan 🤙🏽

    • @TheOz91
      @TheOz91 Před rokem +4

      Fun fact: as somebody from Malaysia, I was asked if I was Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian by someone before. And that makes sense since Polynesians and modern Malays have the same roots, it's just that our ancestors decided to explore the seas and settle in many different places. Being highly mobile and have developed technology that can cross the ocean, it would not be surprising to find people from faraway lands settle in places we don't expect.

    • @kidslovesatan34
      @kidslovesatan34 Před rokem +3

      I'm intrigued by what you mean by colourism in the Polynesian community. I have no idea what you mean. Would you mind please elaborating?

    • @AE-ix2iz
      @AE-ix2iz Před rokem +8

      @@kidslovesatan34 well I’m not sure if it’s fully based on skin color or it could just be ignorance based on cultural pride.
      Within the Polynesians in Hawaii, especially Hawaiian attitudes toward the Samoans and Tongans, Hawaiians will distance themselves from the latter group.
      For example, when Nainoa Thompson, the premier navigator/way-finder of Polynesia and huge Hawaiian cultural icon, said in an article that all Polynesians originated from Samoa/Tonga region it caused a huge uproar in the Hawaiian community. The general Hawaiian public derided him calling his statement, “bullshit,” “offensive,” or “hewa” (Hawaiian for “offensive”). They even called Mr. Thompson a fake Hawaiian for his statements.
      Or when the actor Dwayne Johnson (part Samoan) wanted to make a movie about Kamehameha, a great Hawaiian king, the Hawaiian public went crazy again. But they were more than okay with a Native American portraying a Hawaiian princess.
      I could list several more but you get the point lol
      Note: I used the term colorism because Hawaiians have been intermixed with European and Asian people for a couple centuries now and you’ll rarely come across a Hawaiian that looks like a Polynesian so they tend to be lighter skinned.

    • @kidslovesatan34
      @kidslovesatan34 Před rokem +3

      @@AE-ix2iz Okay, that's so odd given their shared cultural and genetic history. While distinct, Polynesians in New Zealand and Australia recognise their common ancestry and kinship too.

    • @AE-ix2iz
      @AE-ix2iz Před rokem +1

      @@kidslovesatan34 I need to visit soon. I love rugby

  • @Lawarch
    @Lawarch Před rokem +62

    I think its pretty cool how we use other factors to look at human migration. Like how the spread of foods and plants like the coconut, which originally grew in Polynesia, mirrored the possible spread of people out from Polynesia or by floating on the waters across the oceans. Fantastic video so far as always!

    • @alexcontreras6103
      @alexcontreras6103 Před rokem

      Coconut actually spread on it's own the whole seed dispersal concept of a coconut is by voyaging the seas on it's own

  • @victoriaburkhardt9974
    @victoriaburkhardt9974 Před 10 měsíci +3

    My mind is blown. I'll watch this video again after this information settles in a bit. Thanks for sharing, Stefan..

  • @SevenBates
    @SevenBates Před 10 měsíci +5

    This is impeccable history communication, Stefan. Immediately subscribing. ✌️

  • @theofficialken1755
    @theofficialken1755 Před rokem +32

    Some of my students are related to the Hokulea crew. Way finding is real. The most successful exploring vessels were double hulled Polynesian voyaging canoes. Kahoolawe and Necker were used as starting compass points for voyages in the different island/atoll groups.

  • @Slipperygecko390
    @Slipperygecko390 Před rokem +115

    Love it that you're talking about Polynesia. Some interesting things turn up in our Mythology too. The Kumara legend goes that a human visited one of the heavens and bought back Kumara, that heaven is identified by a star in the east, where South America is. Another mythological hint is in the Trials of Maui where Maui travels east to a great mountain range to do battle with his ancestor. Those mountains could refer to the Andies.
    Something else that's interesting I noticed in your video is in the Rongorongo language there is a large Sea Turtle, A Sea Turtle is also found on the Anaweka Waka found in NZ dated to around 1300, and very sophisticated. The Sea Turtle is also a symbol used at Nan Madol and is an important part of their identity, Nan Madol was founded by two brothers who migrated there from an unknown island around the same time as NZ and Rapanui. Sea Turtles are a good symbol for ancient Polynesia because they travel long distances.

    • @alexb_47933
      @alexb_47933 Před 11 měsíci +11

      in Aymara, Sweet Potato is called Kumara too! And this culture was (and their descendants are still) located on the "Altiplano" (High Plateau) among mountain ranges.

    • @OlohanaYoung
      @OlohanaYoung Před 11 měsíci +2

      so where are the mango avocado sapote pineapple frogs gold parrot silver monkey snake copper orchids iguana bigcats turtles mahogany etc. etc. in Polynesia?
      u got it ALL BACKWARDS... a fisherman from Peru drifted one way to Marquesas c1200 .. made it to shore with sweet potatoes in his canoe.... THE END
      duh

    • @tatimoa
      @tatimoa Před 11 měsíci +2

      @@OlohanaYoung duh.fishermen just drift round with kumara cuttings aye khhh

    • @gregrefon
      @gregrefon Před 11 měsíci +3

      @@OlohanaYoung you poor thing...

    • @sydneystout4003
      @sydneystout4003 Před 10 měsíci +1

      @@OlohanaYoung those islanders were mindful of invasive species ruining their ecosystem & lifestyle, so imported & cultivated only what they needed & could manage.

  • @georgegough9395
    @georgegough9395 Před 7 měsíci

    Fascinating information via a much valued interlocutor. Thank you Stefan.

  • @staninjapan07
    @staninjapan07 Před 11 měsíci +2

    Now that's some top notch video making.
    Thanks a lot.
    Not a wasted word, and every moment worth listening to... twice!

  • @FrancisFjordCupola
    @FrancisFjordCupola Před rokem +26

    Imagine showing these results to the people who worked on the human genome project, decennia ago. They must be wonderfully surprised how far their techniques go into helping us uncover the history of our species.

    • @nomadpurple6154
      @nomadpurple6154 Před rokem +4

      The funny thing is that saw the human genome project mostly as a way to discover causes of genetic diseases and to cure them.
      There was never any talk of how it would be used for the study of history.
      I expect they would be very surprised by this and very disappointed about the lack of progress in the medical field.

    • @Laura-kl7vi
      @Laura-kl7vi Před rokem

      @@nomadpurple6154 No, they knew. My goodness, people really underestimate scientists. They didn't know the details but they knew it could unlock human origins. They also knew that at that time the ability to extract non-degraded DNA from ancient specimens was not optimal, but it'd get better. It's true that how much that aspect of the field advanced is amazing! Their FOCUS was genetic diseases because current.people.are. dying. And there is huge progress in the medical field. Why do you think there isn't? The human genomic project wasn't completed until 2003. You don't understand scientists at all. If I sound exasperated, it's because a whole bunch of people here underestimate what scientists know, and are saying "they should sequence the genome of the sweet potato to trace it's origins. I guess scientists over-focus on humans" and alike.

  • @Blue..
    @Blue.. Před rokem +17

    I need to go to sleep, but Stefan drops a 44 minute long ancient human DNA video ☠

  • @Earthstein
    @Earthstein Před 11 měsíci

    Fantastic presentation. Milo's work is much appreciated and enjoyed.

  • @alfredoaculerl
    @alfredoaculerl Před 11 měsíci +11

    Me encanta! Estuve intentando trabajar justamente con esto, es un gusto saber que hoy ya se sabe algo más 🎉 Saludos desde Chile, increíble contenido

    • @bobmnz6914
      @bobmnz6914 Před 6 měsíci

      Translated: I love it! I have been trying to work precisely with this, it is a pleasure to know that today something more is known 🎉 Greetings from Chile, incredible content.

  • @robertscheinost179
    @robertscheinost179 Před rokem +18

    I'm glad you threw in that side bar about the Taiwan aspect concerning Polynesian ancestry. People need to understand that there is a universal quality, a curiosity factor, so to speak, to go out and explore, to see what is on the other side of the mountain or over the next wave in this case. It's deeply rooted in our psyche. As always, a great video. Thanks, Stefan!

  • @Mauipat
    @Mauipat Před rokem +45

    Having live on Maui for nearly 50 years, I arrived at the time of the resurgence of Hawaiian sailing culture, and have followed with great interest the history of the Polynesian migration. I watched a documentary about the migration that I believe was done by PBS Hawaii, with the help of researchers from the University of Hawaii. To my understanding they seemed to have what I thought was DNA evidence of the possibility of Polynesian as far North as Santa Barbra, California, and contact with the Chumash people there. It's been a few years since I saw the documentary, but if your interested You could contact the University of Hawaii. they have a wealth of information on the subject. Aloha!

    • @eeeaten
      @eeeaten Před rokem +2

      no genetic connection, but the possibility of some cultural exchange. it's hard to use cultural exchange as stand alone evidence, but intriguing!

    • @685_TOOPZ
      @685_TOOPZ Před 3 měsíci

      @@eeeatencultural excahnge or more so trading...

    • @eeeaten
      @eeeaten Před 3 měsíci +2

      @@685_TOOPZ what

  • @nazar1979iraq
    @nazar1979iraq Před 6 měsíci

    I like your energy and enthusiasm discussing these subjects. It is contagious!!

  • @shikawgoh
    @shikawgoh Před 11 měsíci

    As usual, excellent thought provoking information. And it’s well delivered. Love your enthusiasm for the subject matter and your sense of humor.

  • @Ksouel
    @Ksouel Před rokem +28

    Maybe the incisions in the Lapita pottery are not the precursor of tattooing, but a representation of tattooing on pottery. The way its made, without any dragged lines, only punctures, would point towards that in my opinion.
    Great video as always.

  • @btedon
    @btedon Před 7 měsíci +1

    Aloha, Polynesian of Hawaiian ancestry here. Love your content

  • @cbroma2007
    @cbroma2007 Před rokem +38

    I visited Rapa Nui in 2008. I just had to see in person such a special place. I don't know if things have changed since my visit, but at the time Chile was doing very little for the island to help preserve its unique archealogy and erosion was taking a toll.

  • @user-cp3zj5oc7q
    @user-cp3zj5oc7q Před 11 měsíci +1

    Cmon, Stefan, keep these vids coming! Your vid’s are so great but so infrequent!

  • @cmorgansd
    @cmorgansd Před 4 měsíci

    You're my new favorite channel! I don't want to go to work today. I just want to binge watch all your videos.

  • @themaximus144
    @themaximus144 Před rokem +33

    This channel deserves so many more views and subs then it has. You do really great work Stefan. I wish there was more content like this on the internet on the subjects of archaeology genetics and prehistory.

  • @scintillation-9
    @scintillation-9 Před rokem +24

    Keep up the fantastic work, Stefan. Early humanity is a topic that I'm now fascinated by, and you've been a big part of that, truly. Your videos somehow seem to still be getting better. Just wanted to say thank you.

  • @ieatgauffres4432
    @ieatgauffres4432 Před 8 měsíci

    my favorite of your videos, so well written and paced

  • @theg0z0n
    @theg0z0n Před 5 měsíci

    I just love your channel and content so much. I can't get enough of your videos!
    Thank you so much for sharing your passion!!

  • @noidv
    @noidv Před rokem +43

    Stefan Milo does it again! This was amazing.
    Just to think I became interested in this subject after watching Graham Hancock babble on about “maybe South Americans are decended from Polynesians” because he had heard they share some DNA. He was really twisting facts there!
    Thanks Stefan. Impatiently awaiting your next video.

    • @randomgamerdude98
      @randomgamerdude98 Před rokem +6

      Don’t take Graham Hancock’s words seriously

    • @solarnaut
      @solarnaut Před rokem +3

      @@randomgamerdude98 It's advisable to
      wait until the mushrooms kick in,
      BEFORE listing to Graham. B-)

    • @yoeyyoey8937
      @yoeyyoey8937 Před rokem +1

      @@randomgamerdude98 wym he was literally right in this case?

    • @yoeyyoey8937
      @yoeyyoey8937 Před rokem

      How was he twisting facts?

    • @noidv
      @noidv Před rokem +1

      @@yoeyyoey8937 Did you watch Stefan’s video? How was he right?

  • @lostboy8084
    @lostboy8084 Před rokem +24

    They actually were geniuses in sailing the triangle sails actually were game changing, the pantoons also were something that allowed them to sail oceans that and it would be interesting to see more on this.

    • @pcatful
      @pcatful Před 10 měsíci

      Look up Hokulea.

  • @alayneperrott9693
    @alayneperrott9693 Před 11 měsíci +15

    Fascinating! I have wondered about this since reading Kontiki many years ago, an interest reinforced by visiting the Anthropology Museum in Taipei and learning how the indigenous people from Taiwan migrated south and eventually contributed to the heritage of Polynesians.

    • @OlohanaYoung
      @OlohanaYoung Před 11 měsíci +1

      he is so wrong on this its laughable....
      so where are the mango avocado sapote pineapple frogs gold parrot silver monkey snake copper orchids iguana bigcats turtles mahogany etc. etc. in Polynesia?
      u got it ALL BACKWARDS... a fisherman from Peru drifted one way to Marquesas c1200 .. made it to shore with sweet potatoes in his canoe.... THE END
      duh

  • @FrithonaHrududu02127
    @FrithonaHrududu02127 Před 3 měsíci

    Just discovered your channel and I'm really digging it, thanks for the quality content.

  • @Jobe-13
    @Jobe-13 Před rokem +17

    I admire their seafaring culture and skills.

  • @Psittacus_erithacus
    @Psittacus_erithacus Před rokem +20

    My only regret (about watching this video) is that I have but one thumbs-up to give in support of this excellent content. Truly top notch: thoughtful, informative, low-key inspiring. Engaging with the quest for knowledge and the contemplative, diligent people carrying it forward is a much needed antidote all the nasty, short-sighted, self-involved rubbish that dominates the headlines. I'm truly thankful for Stefan's efforts to put more of us in contact with this side of humanity.

  • @SolarEcliptic
    @SolarEcliptic Před 11 měsíci

    Thanks a lot for putting it out there, love your work here

  • @lorrieborder
    @lorrieborder Před 3 měsíci

    Your videos are well done. I appreciate your clear and concise descriptions. I’ll be watching more. Thanks

  • @perritoDeSatanas
    @perritoDeSatanas Před rokem +49

    Me encanta el tipo de videos que haces, porque pones en el centro la duda y no la respuesta final y aun asi aprendí un montón viendo tu video, eres lo que el mundo de la divulgación cientifica necesitaba, al menos en mi vida. Muchas gracias Stefan ❤️

  • @kaliburx4
    @kaliburx4 Před rokem +28

    Super interesting, thanks for the great video. One thing I didn’t get is why you seem to prefer the hypothesis that Polynesians reached South America first, intermingled with locals, and then went back home. This would require two voyages, sort of a welcome by local populations, having children together, their support to likely repair the ships and travel back, etc. A much simpler explanation (which you of course present too) is that South Americans traveled to Polynesia (maybe just fishermen drifting in the ocean) and ended up in Polynesia where they got stuck and had to spend the rest of their lives. Much simpler explanation - and supported by Occam’s razor

    • @gavtoye9605
      @gavtoye9605 Před 11 měsíci +5

      Yes, the one journey factor is stronger than the two journey one

    • @JHaven-lg7lj
      @JHaven-lg7lj Před 11 měsíci +6

      I’m also curious about whether or not the study had mitochondrial DNA from either side - I imagine it could clarify some issues, and raise other questions

    • @nmarbletoe8210
      @nmarbletoe8210 Před 10 měsíci +4

      1, Polynesian voyagers went to basically everywhere else in the Pacific. It would be very surprising if they found tiny Easter but missed the Americas
      2. There are haplotypes of polynesian affinity in Peru (unpublished?)
      3. Chickens were probably brought from Polynesia to Americas (Storey 2007)
      4. Bottle gourd from Polynesia has DNA from Asia and America, but it is not certain if this was an ancient hybridization or modern

    • @st4r444
      @st4r444 Před 10 měsíci +4

      Intermingle and a welcomed is not likely. There is a reason why austronesian islands that are 8000mi apart still maintain similar language and culture as opposed to vietnam and Pakistan which are closer but have different language, religion and customs. Polynesians were historically conquerors and war like culture with warriors. Since they travel the sea fast, any island they landed on would become Polynesian culture fast. Adventuring deep into south America would not be ideal. It is too vast and does not provide them the advantage the sea life provides. They can no longer escape from enemies to the sea and ofcourse, going into a large unknown territory is a bad idea. Some of the native Americans were fierce and quite unwelcome. Considering if they had met Polynesian warriors who were both on guard, it wouldn't end well. In ancient time, it was common to shed blood. Since Polynesian travelled by raft, they'd be in smaller number and wouldn't last.

    • @sillau9
      @sillau9 Před 8 měsíci +2

      ​@st4r444 still doesn't mean Polynesians didn't met some without any tension..possibilities of even intermingled had relationships wit them & or traded wit them, & brought back food & such that was only native in the America's before they went back to their Polynesian islands..

  • @madguitarist63
    @madguitarist63 Před 2 měsíci

    Great coverage. I've watched a lot of videos on this subject and your channel is definitely top notch for covering the what we know and what we don't know 🤙

  • @veepotter307
    @veepotter307 Před 28 dny

    Your channel just popped up on my CZcams feed! How interesting. I subscribed in order to get more wonderful and informative stories. Thank you!

  • @HotFish
    @HotFish Před rokem +11

    So good! The quality of the narration, explanation, the character, and the visual production is absolutely beautiful and so comprehensive. You’ve made things very easy to understand and have treated everything with so much respect and honesty (which is a nice change of pace in the anthropology/archaeology scene). Not only is it interesting from a learning point of view, it is such a pleasure to watch

  • @bigtimehawaii
    @bigtimehawaii Před rokem +10

    I can watch your videos many times. I do appreciate the information you share mahalo and aloha.

    • @PeachysMom
      @PeachysMom Před rokem +2

      His style is so watchable. It’s relatable and understandable to the layman without being dumbed down. And very chill.

  • @asdf123311
    @asdf123311 Před měsícem

    First video in a long time I've been able to sit down and watch beginning to end and feel completely enthralled the whole time :)

  • @AnaPerunika
    @AnaPerunika Před 10 měsíci +15

    "Kumara" is also the Slovenian word for cucumber 🥒, I guess it's just a really good word for any somewhat torpedo-shaped vegetable.

  • @jonathankirsch2121
    @jonathankirsch2121 Před rokem +16

    I love when you add more of your humor and personality into your videos! It's what keeps the content so engaging and fun. As much as I like your extremely polished, sanitized and documentary quality videos, I like the ones where you just throw in silly outtakes and parenthetical jokes, they're the best 😍 thanks for teaching me more new stuff! I literally throw your videos on repeat the background, I've seen them all so many times I can quote them by heart, and I tell everyone all the fascinating stuff I learn from them

  • @alicialmh
    @alicialmh Před rokem +15

    I don't think I have ever commented on one of your videos, but I've watched almost every one, and I just want to thank you for the great content. You have a knack for getting across how awesome these histories are without being sensational or conspiratorial.

    • @AndrewBlucher
      @AndrewBlucher Před rokem

      And, I'll add, without being condescending or racist (as far as I can tell from my Wasp background).

  • @dschlie6669
    @dschlie6669 Před 9 měsíci

    Fascinating stuff brother

  • @BernardCounte
    @BernardCounte Před 10 měsíci +1

    This was an awesome and well-faceted look at an anthropological subject. Quality content, kudos!

  • @johncarey5513
    @johncarey5513 Před rokem +10

    Doesn't this evidence suggest that the Native South Americans reached the islands, and not the other way around?
    Edit: And they just mentioned that, lol! Wait to the end of the video to comment!

  • @karenstubbs94
    @karenstubbs94 Před rokem +10

    The Kon Tiki voyages are a favorite of mine. I grew up on National Geographic, I am now 73. A lifetime of adventure and learning.

    • @bonkersblock
      @bonkersblock Před 10 měsíci +2

      Unfortunately Koln tiki was a lie.. 😂

    • @johannageisel5390
      @johannageisel5390 Před 9 měsíci +1

      @@bonkersblock The hypothesis that inspired Heyerdahl to his voyage was wrong, but he successfully made that voyage.

    • @sipuman9337
      @sipuman9337 Před 2 měsíci

      @@johannageisel5390after several attempts

  • @osvaldobenavides5086
    @osvaldobenavides5086 Před 3 měsíci

    Great video!! Love all the new information! Congrats!

  • @nickharris1964
    @nickharris1964 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Some of the best content on the internet. Thanks Stefan.

  • @megret1808
    @megret1808 Před rokem +12

    I read Kon Tiki when I was fifteen and it bent me off a path of “quiet desperation” and pulled me out of my cultural cocoon. I’ve now been to these sites from Bolivia to Rapa Nui to Taiwan and the rest of SE Asia. I’m fascinated by the yet unrecognised scope of megalithic artefacts. From the Plain of Jars in northern Laos to the Indonesian islands you see the same works, same symbolism. Add in lower sea levels pre Younger Dryus and Sundaland appears. Just like Doggerland, Sundaland was fully occupied possibly all the way to Nan Madol

  • @robinbell8514
    @robinbell8514 Před 11 měsíci

    Always great information, thank you for your diligence.

  • @anneka3980
    @anneka3980 Před 11 měsíci +10

    My Grandfather, Julio Barrera d’Oro, an early linguist, wrote about many similar words and word roots between the Andean indigenous tribal languages and Asian languages including certain Japanese. I believe He also found Sanskrit and Aryan word roots. Remember that Coca leaves were found in Egyptian mummies. PS I think I have one of his small books translated from the Spanish.

    • @st4r444
      @st4r444 Před 10 měsíci

      This proves that sweet potato word had nothing to do with peru and polynesian contact lol the word is probably common in other cultures too

    • @joebombero1
      @joebombero1 Před 6 měsíci +2

      The Zuni Enigma is a fascinating book, going in depth to cultural, linguistic and genetic connections between the Zuni tribe and ancient Japan.

    • @joebombero1
      @joebombero1 Před 6 měsíci +1

      The Baybayin script in the pre-Spanish Philippines can be directly traced back to Sumerian script.

    • @Who_Let_The_Dogs_Out_10-7
      @Who_Let_The_Dogs_Out_10-7 Před 4 měsíci

      Right! The "cocaine in mummys" fiasco!

  • @ivjay5741
    @ivjay5741 Před rokem +6

    Awesome video again Stefan. Its one of countless unending puzzles to solve. I 100% share your curiosity, but not your knowlegde. I love the way you build up to a best possible answer! this way i am able to follow and learn. Thanks!

  • @trixy1823
    @trixy1823 Před rokem +6

    Thank you! ❤. I still remember the moment, in elementary school 50 yrs ago, thinking how foolish archeologists were to think humans weren’t capable. Insisting the Americas were only reached by the land route was ridiculous.

  • @tevitamotulalo3909
    @tevitamotulalo3909 Před 7 měsíci +2

    Malo from Tonga 🇹🇴
    Great stuff. There’s a lot to discover and rediscover.

  • @cerulean999
    @cerulean999 Před 10 měsíci

    Fascinating! I'm glad I've just discovered your channel!

  • @stephenbesley3177
    @stephenbesley3177 Před rokem +4

    love your work Stefan. thank you for posting

  • @cacogenicist
    @cacogenicist Před rokem +12

    Paul MM Cooper's _Fall of Civilizations_ episode on Rapa Nui is fantastic, if you find yourself wanting some more info on that. It seems they were doing _quite well_ for themselves when the first Europeans got there, contrary to what you may have heard.

    • @joshwheeler8317
      @joshwheeler8317 Před 11 měsíci +1

      That whole series is great, but the Rapa Nui episode really packs an emotional punch.

    • @cacogenicist
      @cacogenicist Před 11 měsíci

      ​@@joshwheeler8317 - Yeah, that was brutal. ... the most recent episode on Carthage was none too cheery at the end either.
      Rapa Nui is, I think, sort of the prototype of the "outside context problem."

    • @joshwheeler8317
      @joshwheeler8317 Před 11 měsíci +1

      I think these two channels make a great pair. Fall Of Civilizations gives an epic overview while Milo gives in depth highlights of particular civilizations and customs.

    • @zimriel
      @zimriel Před 11 měsíci

      I think it was more Peru than Europeans specifically which screwed over Rapa Nui

  • @EggchaserNZ
    @EggchaserNZ Před 6 měsíci

    Love your video Stefan! I look forward to your next doc.

  • @user-ri1ti6go7s
    @user-ri1ti6go7s Před 16 hodinami

    Really eye opening. Great work and thank you Stefan