Where did Fiji’s earliest settlers come from?

Fiji’s earliest settlers arrived from the islands of Melanesia at least 3,500 years ago. These settlers were part of the Lapita culture, a group known for their advanced skills in navigation and canoe building, as well as their distinctively decorated pottery.12

Upon their arrival, these migrants brought with them various food plants and pigs. While some researchers suggest the Lapita culture moved through Melanesia from Southeast Asia, there is ongoing academic discussion regarding whether this culture arrived in Fiji as part of a specific wave of seafaring immigrants or through other patterns of migration. Following their establishment in Fiji, these settlers eventually expanded to Tonga and Samoa, regions where distinct Polynesian cultures later evolved.12