i'm doing some research on polynesia and i'm finding very difficult to get good sources of the european exploration and expansion into the polynesian archipelago. What countries were most involved in this part of the globe, what was their policy with the natives and significant names and dates, any help or pointing to a source is appreciated.
Being maori from new zealand i would say captain james cook and abel tasman. You can read cooks journal here:http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/cook/contents.html
Otherwise there is a book about tupaia the polynesian translator that helped cook as he travelled between the islandshttp://penguin.co.nz/books/tupaia-9781869797133
As for policy with the natives, cook got killed by Hawaiians in 1779
http://www.hawaiihistory.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ig.page&PageID=266
Theres also the story about the mutiny on the bounty where english sailors mutineered then set off for tahiti
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mutiny-on-the-hms-bounty