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