ABSTRACT
C ollectively, the islands of the remote Pacific Ocean form the last geographic region on earth to be colonised by humans. The region is known as Polynesia and is defined by a triangular boundary joining, Hawaii in the North, Easter Island in the East and New Zealand in the South. Polynesia contains many island populations each with a fascinating genetic history that has been shaped by unique evolutionary forces. Such forces have created substantial population differences in genetic variation which may explain, at least in part, the variable disease and drug response characteristics of Polynesian populations. This chapter summarises some of the genetic research that has been conducted in the largest Polynesian population-The Maori of New Zealand-including measurements of genetic admixture and studies of drug metabolising genes and drug response traits.
