Encounters: Polynesians and Native Americans’ common past

A genetic study from the University of Stanford shows that there have been contacts between Native Americans and Polynesians long before the Spanish conquest of the continent. We have been lucky enough to follow their paths. 

The break-through

Researchers have collected the date of 800 inhabitants of French Polynesia and the coasts ranging from Chile to Colombia to show that the people from these lands have a common ancestry. 

The element that first sparked interest in further researching the subject: sweet potato. We find this tuber in traditional dishes in both the Andes and Tahitian cuisine. And the Polynesian word to designate this tasty vegetable seems to be related to the one used in different Andean languages. This convinced scientists that more research had to be done to spark light on the subject after a series of inconclusive studies. Modern-day genetic data make today’s finding definitive. 

Researchers estimate present-day Colombia is likely to be the place where Polynesian skippers made contact with Native American communities. 

In a historiographic context dominated by the European conquest, this study makes us look with new eyes at the region’s dynamism and cultural diversity, already there way before the arrival of the Conquistadores. 

The link with Maewan 

We were fortunate to sail across Patagonia and the communities of the most Austral communities of Native Americans in the world, who for centuries live in isolated and remote lands where the contact with nature remains very strong. 

On our sailboat Maewan IV, we reached the islands of the Pacific and the Tierra del Fuego, where at each stopover we were touched by the generosity of the local people. 

Today, we are happy to be able to follow the footsteps of the Polynesian and the Native American explorers by sharing with you the natural and cultural richness of these lands. There, through our educational actions, we support the local youth in their developments as they are the sheperds of the territories’ future. 

The project Makatea Vertical Adventure (the documentary will be released this Autumn ) was carried out together with the residents of the island of Makatea to create new perspectives with tremendous potential. An island scarred by sulfate exploitation, now new purposeful activities are developed around sport and eco-tourism, allowing for a form of community development that is just and in harmony with the island’s ecosystem. 

To know more: https://www.maewan.com/actions/