How were early New Guineans different from Australia’s first people?(1 point)
Early New Guineans and Australia's first people both descended from the initial waves of human migration out of Africa, but they became different due to their distinct environments and subsequent evolution of separate cultures over tens of thousands of years.
The differences between them include:
1. **Geography and Environment**: At the time of early human settlement, New Guinea and Australia were part of the same landmass known as Sahul, and people could move between these regions. However, the environments were quite different. New Guinea's mountains, tropical rainforests, and highland valleys contrasted with much of Australia's arid landscapes and deserts. These environmental differences led to diverging ways of life and adaptations.
2. **Culture**: Over many millennia, early New Guineans developed complex horticultural practices, crafting intricate systems of agriculture, which included the cultivation of taro and yam, and the domestication of pigs. In contrast, Australia's Indigenous peoples continued a hunter-gatherer lifestyle that was intricately adapted to the country's diverse ecosystems.
3. **Language**: Early New Guineans eventually developed hundreds of distinct languages, as the island's rugged terrain and numerous isolated valleys led to a great deal of linguistic diversity. Conversely, while Australia also had many languages and dialects, the number was smaller, and there were more widespread language families due to the continent's more open landscapes that allowed for greater movement and interaction between groups.
4. **Genetics**: While there are genetic similarities between New Guineans and Indigenous Australians, reflecting their common origin, over time, each group developed distinct genetic characteristics due to the long periods of isolation and separate evolutionary paths.
5. **Technological Development**: The tools and technologies developed by these populations differed, with New Guineans adapting to their dense forest environments and Australia's first people to the diverse environments, including coastal, desert, and woodland areas.