Havaiki

/hɑːˈvaɪki/ noun

Definition

In Polynesian mythology, the ancestral homeland or spiritual origin point from which Polynesian people are believed to have migrated across the Pacific Ocean.

Etymology

From Polynesian languages (found in Hawaiian, Māori, Samoan, and other variants), the word refers to the legendary or actual ancient homeland; scholars debate whether it refers to a real place or mythological concept.

Kelly Says

Havaiki is the Polynesian equivalent of Atlantis—it represents the shared cultural memory of ancient Polynesians about where they came from, and modern DNA evidence suggests there was a real origin point in island Southeast Asia!

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