The explorer Thor Heyerdahl insisted, contrary to all expert opinion, that Polynesia had been settled by people from South America. ... His imaginative voyage proved that ancient Incas could have traveled to Polynesia with the means that they had available.

Who was Polynesia settled by?

The First People to Settle Polynesia Came from Asia. The first settlers of the far-flung Pacific islands of Tonga and Vanuatu likely arrived from Taiwan and the northern Philippines between 2,300 and 3,100 years ago, a new genetic analysis suggests.

Was Polynesia settled from the east or west?

East Polynesia was settled from West Polynesia, and in turn New Zealand was settled by seafarers whose most likely origin was somewhere in East Polynesia. These people developed their own culture and came to be known as Māori. Today, Māori regard East Polynesia as their homeland, which they call Hawaiki.