Razib Khan posted about East Polynesia yesterday; Turtle Island has a more comprehensive take. The immediate paper is Alexander Ioannidis et al., "Native American gene flow into Polynesia predating Easter Island settlement" doi 10.1038/s41586-020-2487-2.
As is being noted, Janet Wilmshurst et al. had earlier (2011) posted "High-precision radiocarbon dating shows recent and rapid initial human colonization of East Polynesia". This constrained the Polynesian arrival: the colonization of East Polynesia occurred in two distinct phases: earliest in the Society Islands A.D. ∼1025–1120, four centuries later than previously assumed; then after 70–265 y, dispersal continued in one major pulse to all remaining islands A.D. ∼1190–1290
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So, first the Society Islanders pushed out to New Zealand, Hawaii, and the Marquesas. Then the Marquesians and Americans met 'n mingled. Their children went to Rapa Nui, before that fateful Easter day. I seriously doubt that the American shipwrights were up to it, so it was Polynesians who visited them - with those chickens.
Rapa Nui is now Chilean. Maybe the Colombians should ask for it back.
PROBLEMATICAL 8/30: Molle Guillaume wants attention.
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