Posted by on September 05, 2002 at 13:01:19:
In Reply to: Re: Polynesians Ancestors posted by ThisiswhatIthink on February 21, 2002 at 01:57:59:
I was told that when Captain Cook first stumbled across polynesians, he described them as fair skinned people, with light colored eyes and hair. So maybe we (polynesians) are linked to palagis.
But just because the Filipines are in the Pacific Ocean, and its people live in a tropical climate that doesn't mean they're related to the Polynesians. Their languages are completely different from the Samoan, Tahitiian, Rarotongan, Tongan, Hawaiian, Fijian languages. They're bodies are not built like polynesians. They're small in stature, with small bones and body frames. Yes their diet is different and that could contribute to the smaller bones and bodies, but what about the structure of the face and facial features. Skin color is the only similarity, because they come from an island. And if that's the case, then can we say that all people who are from an island (any island) have the same origin?
All of the Polynesian cultures were grouped together because they shared similarities in language, food, dance, customs, family names etc. Not just because they were in the same ocean.
Why do Filipinos have hispanic last names, and use spanish words? If you want to go by 'looks', then I would have to say that they look like a mixture of Asian and Spanish.
I think that the Polynesians are tired of outsiders claiming our heritage and trying to change it. I myself know my Geneology, and nowhere on my family chart did I find anyone with the last name of Gomez or Fernando.