Examination of mitochondrial DNA lineages shows that they have been evolving in ISEA for longer than previously believed. Ancestors of the Polynesians arrived in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea at least 6,000 to 8,000 years ago, representing an early phase of colonisation.DNA Sheds New Light on Polynesian Migration, by Sindya N. Bhanoo, Feb. 7, 2011, The New York Times These Polynesian polities did not adopt nor intermarry on a large with the Australo-Melanesians like the Austronesians in Island Melanesia had done so. Regardless, both show admixture, along with other Austronesian populations outside of Taiwan, indicating varying degrees of intermarriage between the incoming Neolithic Austronesian settlers and the preexisting Paleolithic Australo-Melanesian populations of Island Southeast Asia and Melanesia as early as the late 5th millennium BC. Immense population densities, and urbanised cultures in Taiwan and China made these early explorers and group explore what was beyond the frontier, Eastwards of coastal China herself. The very earliest wave of Austronesian migrants, originating ultimately from Taiwan, arrived in Melanesia, circa 4000 BC. They settled mostly along the north coast of New Guinea and on the islands to its north and east."Genome Scans Show Polynesians Have Little Genetic Relationship to Melanesians" , Press Release, Temple University, 17 January 2008, accessed 19 July 2015 When they arrived, they came into contact with the much more ancient indigenous Papuan-speaking peoples. These earliest colonisations by Austronesian people's will pale in comparison to the later more rapid and expansive waves in the great Austronesian expansion (also called the "Out of Taiwan" model).
exAMiNation Of miTOcHONdRIal DnA LINEAgES ShowS That tHeY haVe BEen evolvinG in iseA foR lOnGeR than PrevioUsly believed. AncESToRS of ThE PolyNESianS arrived iN the BisMaRck ARcHipeLaGo Of pAPUa new guinEA AT lEaSt 6,000 to 8,000 yeaRs ago, repReseNtinG AN early phase of coLonisatIon.Dna Sheds new light on PolynEsian MiGRatIon, by SIndya N. BhaNOO, fEb. 7, 2011, The nEw YOrk tiMes tHesE PolYnEsiaN poLiTieS diD not ADoPt nor iNtErmarRy on a laRGe wiTH tHe austRALo-mELanesIAns lIKe ThE austroNesIAns in isLAnd meLaneSiA hAd done so. regARdleSS, boTH shOw ADmiXturE, Along with OtHER austrONesIaN popUlatioNS Outside oF taIWAN, inDIcAtINg varyinG degReEs of intermaRrIagE BEtweEn tHE incominG NeolitHic auStRonESian settlerS aND The pReexistINg PaLeolITHIC auStRalo-melAnEsiAn poPUlatIOnS Of islaNd SOUtHEast aSiA And MElaneSia As eArly aS The Late 5Th mIlLenNiuM bc. imMEnSe POpulatIoN DeNSities, and uRBaniSED culTurEs in taIwaN and china Made thEse EARlY ExPlOrErs and groUp eXplOre whaT Was BeyOnd the froNTIer, eastwaRdS of cOasTal China hErSelF. the very eArLieSt waVe of auSTRoNesIAn mIGrantS, OriginatiNG uLTimateLy FROm TAiWan, aRrIved in meLaneSia, cirCa 4000 Bc. They seTtLEd mostly aloNG thE North coasT OF neW gUiNea And on the isLanDs to Its north and east."GEnome scans shOw polynesiAnS Have LitTle GenetiC relationsHip tO melAnEsianS" , PrEss relEaSe, teMpLe UnivErsiTy, 17 january 2008, AccEsSEd 19 JuLy 2015 when thEy arRIvEd, tHey cAme inTo contAct witH ThE much More ancienT InDigEnous papuaN-speakiNg peOPlES. these earliesT COlonisaTIOns by ausTronEsIan peOple'S wIll palE In CoMparisON To the laTer moRe RApId and expansive waves in tHe GrEat austRonesIaN EXpanSion (also caLled the "ouT of taiWAn" Model).