<P> The human history of the Solomon Islands begins with the first settlement at least 30,000 years ago from New Guinea . They represented the furthest expansion of humans into the Pacific Ocean until the expansion of Austronesian - language speakers through the area around 4000 BCE, bringing new agricultural and maritime technology . Most of the languages spoken today in the Solomon Islands derive from this era, but some thirty languages of the pre-Austronesian settlers survive (see East Papuan languages). The first European contact was that of Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira whose expedition first sighted Santa Isabel island on 7 February 1568 . Finding signs of alluvial gold on Guadalcanal, Mendaña believed he had found the source of King Solomon's wealth, and consequently named the islands "The Islands of Solomon". Many of the islands were also named by these explorers, including Guadalcanal, the Santa Cruz Islands, San Cristobal, Santa Ana and Santa Isabel . In 1595 and 1605 Spain again sent several expeditions to find the islands and establish a colony, though these were unsuccessful . In 1767 Captain Philip Carteret rediscovered Santa Cruz and Malaita . Later, Dutch, French and British navigators visited the islands; their reception was often hostile . </P> <P> In the history of Tahiti, Tahiti is estimated to have been settled by Polynesians between CE 300 and 800 coming from Tonga and Samoa, although some estimates place the date earlier . The fertile island soil combined with fishing provided ample food for the population . Although the first European sighting of the islands was by a Spanish ship in 1606, Spain made no effort to trade with or colonize the island . Samuel Wallis, an English sea captain, sighted Tahiti on 18 June 1767, and is considered the first European visitor to the island . The perceived relaxation and contented nature of the local people and the characterization of the island as a paradise much impressed early European visitors, planting the seed for a romanticization by the West that endures to this day . </P> <P> In the history of Taiwan, Aboriginal peoples ancestors are believed to have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han Chinese immigration began in the 17th century . The Taiwanese Aborigines are Austronesian peoples, with linguistic and genetic ties to other Austronesian ethnic groups, such as peoples of the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Oceania . Taiwan's Austronesian speakers were traditionally distributed over much of the island's rugged central mountain range and concentrated in villages along the alluvial plains . Today, the bulk of the contemporary Taiwanese Aborigine population reside in the mountains and the cities . The issue of an ethnic identity unconnected to the Asian mainland has become one thread in the discourse regarding the political identity of Taiwan . The total population of Aborigines on Taiwan is around 458,000 as of January 2006, which is approximately 2% of Taiwan's population . </P> <P> Archaeological evidence indicates that history of Tokelau's atol--Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo--were settled about 1,000 years ago, probably by voyages from Samoa, the Cook Islands and Tuvalu . Oral history traces local traditions and genealogies back several hundred years . Inhabitants followed Polynesian mythology with the local god Tui Tokelau; and developed forms of music (see Music of Tokelau) and art . The three atolls functioned largely independently while maintaining social and linguistic cohesion . Tokelauan society was governed by chiefly clans, and there were occasional inter-atoll skirmishes and wars as well as inter-marriage . Fakaofo, the "chiefly island," held some dominance over Atafu and Nukunonu . Life on the atolls was subsistence - based, with reliance on fish and coconut . Commodore John Byron discovered Atafu on 24 June 1765 and named it "Duke of York's Island ." Parties onshore reported that there were no signs of current or previous inhabitants . </P>

Where did the early settlers of the pacific islands come from and where did they go