The Polynesians could have come from What is now Australia and nearby to what is now S America-it is a long trek, but they were skilled sailors since day one. Also, the sea level in the late ice age was a lot lower-maybe allowing for stops to get provisions before sailing/paddling on. However it happened, they managed to get there, bringing their DNA early on-I’d love to know who-if anyone-was already there in what is now the far edge of SA for the sailors to interact with-the whole concept is fascinating...
I’ve read that there is evidence of humans traveling to Australia from the area of what is now Laos as long as 80,000 years ago-and evidence of them living in Australia at least 65,000 years ago- I could see them going to S America early on with sea levels lower-I suppose they weren’t Polynesians yet-the word just means many islands in Greek, so maybe it is a matter of what people are called rather than what those people did and when? I hope some team of archaeologists gets to the truth of it soon-it would be nice to know who the REAL indigenous people of the American continent were...