Oceania

Origins

• The history and culture of Oceania are not strongly linked to the Asian mainland.

• Although civilization (urban life) never emerged among these islands (prior to the modern age), they were governed by various rich  non-urban cultures.

Oceania

• Oceania is the name for the vast, island-dotted swath of the Pacific that lies beyond maritime Southeast Asia

Early Life on Oceania

• While hunter-gatherer life (especially fishing) and agriculture were both practiced in the three island regions, Australia retained a purely hunter-gatherer lifestyle.3

First Migrations

• Oceania was colonized by waves of migration from Southeast Asia during the Paleolithic era, colonizing Melanesia and Australia. 

Maori People

• The native peoples of Melanesia and Australia are dark-skinned, while the peoples of Micronesia and Polynesia are generally lighter in complexion.

• “Mela” means dark• “Poly” means many• “Macro” means large• “Micro” means small

Modern Oceania

• Captain James cook led expeditions to Oceania from 1768-1771.

• Most islands were

seized as colonies 

• European diseases reduce the native population and many natives were forced into slavery.

Australia

• 1778 a British sent fleet to make Australia a Became British penal colony (Prison)

WWII

• The allies fought against the Japanese in Australia WWII.

• Most of the islands received independence during age of decolonization 1945-1980’s.

Travel

• The Maori used raft boats to travel through Polynesia.

• These people traveled to Madagascar bringing bananas to Africa.