The Origin of Austronesians from the Perspective of Customs and Traditions

From the perspective of customs and traditions, Austronesians have connection with Fujian early ancestors, through material production and social life. For example, stepped adzes are one of the most characteristic production tools in the vast area of the eastern China coast, excavated in large quantities from many sites in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and were used in the manufacture and production of canoes and oars. In addition, stepped adzes have been found in Taiwan Province, the Philippines, North Borneo and many islands of Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean, as far as Hawaii and Marquesas islands. It has also become one of the most important material item used to map the migration of early Austronesians across the ocean. Another representative product is the outrigger canoe, true ocean-going ship for Austronesians, and an important part of their heritage. There are excavations of canoes in Fujian, more than 2,000 years old, which shows the connection between the prehistoric people of Fujian and Austronesian population. Similarly, Austronesian custom of tattoos and broken hair are also found in ancient ethic groups in Fujian. These converging testimonies indicate that Austronesian culture is strongly related to Fujian maritime culture and, it may even be said that Austronesian culture and population originated in Fujian.