Dr. Duff Discusses Origins Of Polynesians

Press, Volume C, Issue 29469, 22 March 1961, Page 23

Dr. Duff Discusses Origins Of Polynesians

SINGAPORE. Dr. Roger Duff. Director of the Canterbury Museum, said tn a leetore to Singapore that he looked forward to the time when New Zealanders wonld be descended from the peoples of both the Maori and European races. “I also look forward to the establishment of a New Zealand culture in which the Maori people have added a permanent contribution.” he told members of the History and Geography Society of Nan yang University. Dr. Duff is at present on a SEA.TO. Fellowship for study in this region to determine the origin and culture of the Polynesian. From the research he had completed so far he was of the opinion that the main body of Polynesians came from South-east Asia—possibly from the eastern islands of the Philippines or from the Celebes, But the important food plant grown widely in their settlements, the sweet potato, came to New Zealand with a minor group which migrated from South America.

Dr. Duff said the establishment of an early Polynesian link with South-east Asia would help New Zealanders of both races today to become aware of the importance of South-east Asia for their future trade and cultural relationship with the outside world.

"Iq many ways. New Zealanders. until the outbreak of the Pacific war, scarcely realised they were living in the Pacific." he said. “But in the post-war decade New Zealanders are playing an increasingly important role in South-east Asia, notably through the establishment of diplomatic posts in Singapore, in the Federation of Malaya, and in Bangkok and through the student and teacher exchanges under the Colombo Plan and also the presence of New Zealand servicemen of both races in Malaya.” Opposing Theories

On the origin of the Polynesian, there were two theories. The first was the orthodox theory as propounded by the great Maori anthropologist. Sir Peter Buck, that the Polynesians came from the Indonesian area ot South-east Asia dur-

[From Out Own Correspondent]

ing the late Stone Age. This theory was opposed by the Norwegian, Thor Heyerdahl, who made the famed Kon Tiki raft voyage from South America in support of his view that the Polynesians originated from South America.

Dr. Duff said the most important result of excavating setlements of the moa hunter period in New Zealand was the recovery of skilfully shaped stone adzes of types found beyond the Polynesian area only in South-east Asia.

In South-east Asia, the adzes of Polynesian type were found from Java to South China, and from the Shan states of Burma to the Philippines. The most precise resemblance with Polynesian adzes was found in the Philippines, Formosa, and the South China coast, from Hong Kong to the mouth of the Yangtse. Taken in conjunction with the resemblance between the Malay and the Polynesian languages and other cultural features, this supported the theory that the ancestors of the Polynesian lived in some part of South-east Asia about 2000 years ago. Of- Duff said that great interest was created, however, by Thor Heyerdahl’s demonstration that a raft of balsa logs could drift from the Pacific coast of South America 4000 miles west into the eastern fringes of Polynesia “Although most scholars have not accepted Heyerdahl’s theory that the Polynesians reached their present area by an early migration across the North Pacific by way of the Pacific coast of North America and a later migration from Peru, a raft voyage from South America provides the most

likely explanation for the introduction of the kumara which was the main food item of the last Polynesian migration,” he said. “Heyerdahl Nat Incorrect” Heyerdahl'* theory was not incorrect, but correct only in the sense that the most important food plant, the sweet potato, was introduced by a minor migration by raft from South America. The introduction of the sweet potato came just at the right time, according to Dr. Duff, because they arrived when the extermination of the moa was almost complete, which presented a terrible food problem.

“With the introduction of the sweet potato in particular,” he said, "the Maori population in the North Island increased to 150,000. After European settlement the Maori population declined rapidly and seemed in danger of extinction. However, in the present century it has built up again to about 150.000 and it is my belief that in another 25 years that figure will reach 250,000. “It is of great importance to the European majority, at present numbering over 2,000.000. to take into account the cultural rights of the growing Maori population.’’ Dr. Duff said.

Before his arrival in Singapore. Dr. Duff made an extensive survey of the collection of stone adzes at Djakarta’s National Museum. In Singapore, he is being assisted by the Director of the National Museum (Dr. C. A. Gibson-Hill) and in the Federation by Haji Muideen Sheppard, the director of the museum at Kuala Lumpur. His tour will also take him to Sarawak. Thailand, IndoChina. the Philippines, Hawaii and Hong Kong.