POLYNESIANS. A term used diversely by various writers. By some it is employed as a synonym of Miilayo-Polynesian (q.v.) and made to include all the so-called brown race of the re gions known as Malaysia, Melanesia, and Polynesia, also know n as the Malayan race. F. Miiller (1S7.9) made the Poly-Melanesians one of the branches of hi- Malay race. while Brinton (1890) divides his Alalayie stock into a Western (Malayan) and an Eastern (Polyne sian) group. Deniker makes the Polynesians properly so called one of the great ethnic groups of the Indo-Pacific area. Keane (1896) holds that the Eastern Polynesians are a branch of the Calicasic division, who possibly in the Neo lithic period migrated from the Asiatic mainland. in the best usage the term Polynesian may be considered to denote the section of the brown race inhabiting the innumerable islands of -Micro nesia. Polynesia iprope r, and parts of l‘lelanesia, and in a special and particular sense the natives of the islands of the eastern Pacific, Hawaii, Ellice, Samoa, Tonga, Ilervey, Society, Low, :Marquesas, and minor groups, together with those of Nev Zealand.
Physically the Polynesianti are a prepossessing race, being tall, symmetrically built, and hand sonic in form and feature—indeed, Dr. Ale( ee tells us that "the Sanoull excelled the t?reek in bodily vigor and statuesque beauty." The :Maori of New Zealand is a good example of this race. Thy so-called Ilieronesians differ but little in physical type from the Polynesians of the eastern Pacific. The color of the Polynesians varies from dark brown to almost white, while their features arc often reported as having a European east. a faet which has been made the most of by the advocates of the Caucasian theory. The hair is dark, smooth, and straight, with here and there a tendeney to curliness or crispiness, indicative perhaps of a strain of Papuan blood. Their naivet(i, hospitality, courage in bat tle (compare the Maoris). sensuality (e.g. Tahi tians), skill in boat-building and navigation (Tongans and Samoans, in particular), love of outdoor games, swimming (\laoris, Hawaiians). eloquence in song and story, and other prominent qualities have been emphasized by different writers and travelers. The words la I too and taboo, which have cone into English from Poly nesian languages, commemorate a custom and an institution widespread among them.
The chief industries of the Polynesians at the time of the coming of the Euro lea us were fishing, agriculture., and the exploitation of vegetable substances and fibres for clothing and ornament, art ill wood, shell, etc., and the avtivities con nected with boat-building and navigation. In certain parts of the Polynesian domain cooking was almost a tine art. Cannibalism was not infrequent. The great feasts of the Polynesians were an important factor in their social activi ties. Among characteristic expressions of Poly nesian art and industry may be mentioned cocoa tibre sennit (for wrapping axe-handles), the bamboo-knife. the ornamental and symbolie axes of the Hervey Islands, etc., the double canoe and the outrigger, the mat sail, la pa or hark cloth, feather-work, the stone figures (often of gigantic size), platforms, and edifices of Easter Island. Tonga, the Carolines, etc.—probably more numer ous and occurring in more diverse regions of Polynesia than is generally ladieved—which have unnecessarily been looked upon by some writers as evidences of a great pre-Polynesioo civiliza tion, or attributed to Hindu or South American eulture-bearers. The bamboo or stick maps of the Maishall Islanders and the stone ground maps of other places deserve to be noted, and so, too, the 'topples' and fortifieations of a number of tribes. particularly the 'Maori pall. Iloek-seulp tures exist in many places, and the celebrated `pieture-writing' of Easter Island (q.v.) has re ceived noel attention from The dance and secret societies, profane and religious, have attained great vogue and develop ment in Polynesia, where professional musicians, singers, poets. and literary association have abounded. The lascivious side of the Polynesian character is represented by the kit/a-hula dance of Hawaii and the arcoi societies of Tahiti. The • ceremony still survives, especially in Tahiti. The marriage systems of the Polyne sians Varied at different times and places, from monogamy to polygamy. with all the grades between. A peculiar practice of the Hawaiians gave rise to L. II. \l organ's recognition of the 'Puna luan family' as one of the stages in human social progress. (See Poi.v.kmov.) Much of the present sexual immorality of the Polynesians is due to contact with the whites.