Ancient genomes reveal distinct human dispersals and social stratification in the settlement history of western Remote Oceania.

Two distinct human dispersals reached Fiji at least centuries earlier than previously thought, with Papuan-related expansion progressing more slowly than Lapita-associated groups.

• Why it matters: Understanding the timing and pathways of human migration in western Remote Oceania is crucial for reconstructing the region's settlement history and social dynamics.
• What they did: Genome-wide data from the past three millennia in the eastern Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga revealed multiple dispersals, including two separate routes to Fiji and Polynesian-related gene flow around 1,000 years ago.
• The result: These findings refine models of regional settlement, showing complex migration patterns and social structures that maintained wealth and status within kin groups with Southeast Asian ancestry.