[heartwood]

Polynesians had originally colonized it by enslaving the original inhabitants, tattooing their heads and then using them as human sacrifices while making Captain Cook look like a saint

Who could the previous inhabitants have been, except for other, earlier Polynesians?

[Varda]

Yup it was Polynesians originally in Hawaii according to the articles I’m reading. They were the great open ocean voyagers who settled the Pacific. I’m guessing the author is confusing native/indigenous with different ethnic group.