APAH Chapter 36

Introductory notes

In the tropical Islands of the South Pacific there are many different cultures. Although documentary evidence is lacking about Oceanic cultures. Pacific cultures vary wildly, for example the Aboriginal peoples of Australia speak a language unrelated to any of those of New Guinea, whose languages fall into distinct but diverse group. Knowledge of early Oceanic art and the history of the Pacific islands in general is unfortunately very incomplete as it is more of an oral history.