West Polynesia (6,093 – 4,366 BCE): Middle Holocene — Highstand Wetlands, Reef Terraces, and Coastal Stability

Geographic & Environmental Context

West Polynesia includes Hawaiʻi Island (the Big Island); Tonga (Tongatapu, Haʻapai, Vavaʻu); Samoa (Savaiʻi, Upolu, Tutuila/Manuʻa); Tuvalu and Tokelau (low atolls); the Cook Islands (Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia, etc.); Society Islands (Raiatea–Tahiti–Moʻorea–Bora Bora); and the Marquesas (Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa).

• Anchors: Tongatapu–Haʻapai sheltered lagoons; Savaiʻi–Upolu bay heads; Tahiti–Raiatea reef passages; Rarotonga–Aitutaki leeward basins; Marquesan deep embayments; Tuvalu–Tokelau rim ponds.

Climate & Environmental Shifts

• Hypsithermal highstand: modestly higher sea level creates extensive back-reef ponds and estuarine wetlands; occasional Kona-style storms rework spits.

Biota & Baseline (No Human Presence)

• Estuarine fish/invertebrates boom; freshwater gobies/shrimps occupy streams; coastal strand and pandanus forests stabilize beaches.

Long-Term Significance

Coastal geomorphology reaches near-modern equilibrium—perfect templates for fishponds, irrigated taro fields, and canoe landings.