History of the Polynesian people

Polynesia (UK: /ˌpɒlɪˈniːziə/; US: /ˌpɑːləˈniːʒə/, from Greek: πολύς polys "many" and Greek: νῆσος nēsos "island") is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians, who share many similar traits including language family, culture, and beliefs. Historically, they had a strong tradition of sailing, using stars to navigate at night.

The term Polynesia was first used in 1756 by French writer Charles de Brosses, and originally applied to all the islands of the Pacific. In 1831, Jules Dumont d'Urville proposed a restriction on its use during a lecture to the Geographical Society of Paris. Historically, these islands have also been referred to as the South Sea Islands.

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