漂流者 20

Only very recently has their language been traced back to Taiwan,

and their pottery to the Philippines

Combined with DNA analysis,

evidence now points to the Lapita, a seafaring people from Southeast Asia

Back in the Solomons, on the tiny island of Taumako,

descendants of the Lapita still build and sail traditional voyaging canoes

These canoes may look basic,

but their relative sophistication enabled the Lapita to travel further into

the Pacific than anyone had ever dared before

They were nolonger reliant on paddles alone - they had wind power

Sails, perhaps similar to this crab-claw design,

enabled the Lapita to cover huge distances

But with heavy sails,

the canoes needed extra stability

The Lapita added a second hull

and the long-distance outrigger canoe was finally born