Pacific Islanders

While Magellan's voyages and those of 17th century Dutch seamen created a link between Europe and the Pacific, by that time most of the Pacific Islands still had not been discovered by Europeans.

Hawaii, Tahiti, Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) and New Guinea were unknown.

The people of the Pacific Islands, who were to become known as Polynesians and Melanesians, had spread over the Pacific Ocean over a period of thousands of years.

They adapted to the environments of their islands, developing skills in navigation, fishing and, in the case of the Polynesians, cultivation.

The Polynesians grew rice, bananas, coconuts, pineapples and sweet potatoes on the rich volcanic soils of the islands they inhabited.

They carved decorative wood and made clothing out of vegetable fiber and animal skins.

The Polynesians worshipped gods at large stone altars. They sacrificed animals, and sometimes humans, to their gods before every important voyage or enterprise.

The word "taboo" comes from the Polynesians. It means to isolate from contact a person or an object that is sacred or unclean.

Seafarers

The Polynesians were expert fishermen, boat builders and navigators. They used small dugout canoes for traveling short distances to trade, and much larger canoes for ocean voyages.

They navigated by noting the positions of the sun, the moon and the stars, by paying attention to the direction of the waves, winds and currents and by studying the flight of birds

Their canoes were usually made from single hollowed-out tree trunks. They could reach up to 100 feet in length. One large canoe could take 100 people on a crossing that lasted several weeks, carrying enough food and water for the journey.

The boats, which were painted different colors, were built using tools made from stone, fishbone and coral. The side planking was sewn together with vegetable fiber, usually from coconuts. The boats were caulked with mud and vegetable gum.

A long plank of wood connected to the hull was sometimes used to stabilize a canoe. Other times, an outrigger - a float lashed to the canoe - was used for stabilization.

The Polynesians paddled their canoes in shallow and calm waters. However, the boats were fitted with sails, and in open ocean, they used these sails along with a wide paddle that functioned as a stern rudder.

Relationships with Europeans

In the 16th century, cultural differences between Pacific Islanders and Europeans made relations difficult. A pattern that was repeated in many places consisted of an initial welcome from the islanders, followed by an act that was considered outrageous which then led to an outbreak of brutality.

For example, in the late 1560s, Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira traveled from Peru to the Solomon Islands, where he was welcomed enthusiastically. As a gift, the natives offered them a child's arm and leg. The crew decided to punish the "infidels" for this act. They killed many of the islanders and destroyed their homes.

The Pacific Islanders did not have a concept of private property. This also led to conflicts with Europeans. Magellan called the islands of Guam and Rota the "Islands of Thieves"

Because the Pacific Islands did not have spices or precious metals, European authorities did not think they were worthy of exploration or colonization. The exception was the Philippines, which were in a location that was strategically important for the Spanish.