Austronesian languages
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The Austronesian languages are a language family widely spoken throughout Maritime Southeast Asia, parts of Mainland Southeast Asia, Madagascar, the islands of the Pacific Ocean and Taiwan. They are s
Historical distribution of Austronesian languages Malayo-Polynesian branch included islands and archipelagos Formosan languages included region
A 5 dollar banknote, Hawaii, c. 1839, using the Hawaiian language
A sign in Balinese and Latin script at a Hindu temple in Bali
A manuscript from the early 1800s using the Batak script
Austronesian peoples
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The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large collection of peoples who speak Austronesian languages, having settled in Taiwan, maritime Southeast Asia,
Amis people of Taiwan performing a traditional tribal dance
Skulls representing Johann Friedrich Blumenbach's "five races" in De Generis Humani Varietate Nativa (1795). The Tahitian skull labeled "O-taheitae" represented what he called the "Malay race".
Paraw sailboats from Boracay, Philippines. Outrigger canoes and crab claw sails are hallmarks of the Austronesian maritime culture.
Coconut trees on Rangiroa island in the Tuamotus, French Polynesia; a typical island landscape in Austronesia. Coconuts are native to tropical Asia and were spread as canoe plants to the Pacific Islands and Madagascar by Austronesians.