Oceanian art
Australia, along with interior Melanesia (Papua), are populated by descendants of the first waves of human migrations into the region by Australo-Melanesians.
Micronesia, Island Melanesia, and Polynesia, on the other hand, are descendants of later Austronesian voyagers who intermixed with native Australo-Melanesians; mostly via the Neolithic Lapita culture.
[1] Art of Oceania properly encompasses the artistic traditions of the people indigenous to Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.
The first, an Australo-Melanesian people and the ancestors of modern-day Melanesians and Australian Aboriginals, came to New Guinea and Australia about 40,000 to 60,000 years ago.
[2][3] These early peoples lacked a writing system, and made works on perishable materials, so few records of them exist from this time.
[4] Oceanic peoples traditionally did not see their work in the western concept of "art", but rather created objects for the practical purpose of use in religious or social ceremonies, or for use in everyday life.
[5] By 1500 BC the Austronesian Lapita culture, descendants of the second wave, would begin to expand and spread into the more remote islands.
The period from 1000 BC on, the Lapita people would consolidate and begin to create the contemporary Polynesian cultures of Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji.
Starting around 1100 AD, the people of Easter Island would begin construction of nearly 900 moai (large stone statues).
Although previous artistic and architectural traditions are continued, the various regions would begin to diverge and record more distinct cultures.
These sites, found in Arnhem Land, Australia, are divided into three periods: Pre-Estuarine (c. 40,000?–6000 BC), Estuarine (c. 6000 BC–500 AD), and Fresh Water (c. 500 AD–present).
[8] Sculpture in Oceania first appears on New Guinea as a series of stone figures found throughout the island, but mostly in mountainous highlands.
[10] Micronesia comprises second-wave settlers of Oceania, encompassing the people of the islands north of Melanesia, and has an artistic tradition attested to early Austronesian waves from the Philippines and the Lapita culture.
Stylistically, Micronesian art is streamlined and of a practical simplicity to its function, but is typically finished to a high standard of quality.
[12] The first half of the 20th century saw a downturn in Micronesia's cultural integrity and a strong foreign influence from both western and Japanese Imperialist powers.
[16] However the period beyond 1600 AD had seen intense interaction with European explorers, in addition to continuing earlier cultural traditions.
However more secular art forms continue, such as carving non-religious objects like kava bowls and textile work such as tapa making.
Other forms of art however, reflect their lifestyle of often moving from one camp to another and is utilitarian and portable, albeit still highly decorated.
[18] Melanesia, comprising New Guinea and the surrounding islands and people of first wave settlers, has perhaps the most striking art of all Oceania.
However a great cultural disruption would follow the second World War, and much traditional art would begin to decline or be destroyed.
