Oceania, sociocultural overviews: Polynesia and Micronesia

The terms ‘Polynesia’ and ‘Micronesia,’ nineteenth-century European inventions, have survived as convenient labels to refer to two large regions of the insular Pacific. These regions were peopled in the last 4000 years by waves of seafaring immigrants from Southeast Asia, who established patrilineal societies in Polynesia and matrilineal societies in Micronesia, which exhibit various degrees of stratification. The intensification of contacts with Westerners during the Enlightenment heralded an era of colonialism that brought about radical transformations. With few exploitable resources, contemporary societies of Polynesia and Micronesia tackle problems that range from deteriorating health to the possible effects of global warming.