Sundaland theory A study from
Leeds University published in
Molecular Biology and Evolution, examining
mitochondrial DNA lineages, suggested that humans had been occupying the islands of Southeast Asia for a longer period than previously believed. Population dispersals seem to have occurred at the same time as sea levels rose, which may have resulted in migrations from the Philippine Islands to as far north as Taiwan within the last 10,000 years. The population migrations were most likely to have been driven by climate change. Rising sea levels in three massive pulses may have caused flooding and the submerging of the
Sunda continent, creating the Java and South China Seas and the thousands of islands that make up Indonesia and the Philippines today. A 2009 genetic study published by the 2009 Human Genome Organization Pan-Asian
SNP Consortium found that Asia was originally settled by humans via a single southern route. The migration came from Africa via India, into Southeast Asia and what are now islands in the Pacific, and then later up to the eastern and northern Asian mainland. Genetic similarities were found between populations throughout Asia and an increase in genetic diversity from northern to southern latitudes. Although the Chinese population is very large, it has less variation than the smaller number of individuals living in Southeast Asia, because the Chinese expansion occurred very recently, following the development of rice agriculture – within only the last 10,000 years.
Oppenheimer locates the origin of the
Austronesians in Sundaland and its upper regions. Genetic research reported in 2008 indicates that the islands which are the remnants of Sundaland were likely populated as early as 50,000 years ago, contrary to a previous hypothesis that they were populated as late as 10,000 years ago from
Taiwan.
Yunnan migration theory The theory of the Proto-Malay people originating from
Yunnan is supported by R.H Geldern, J.H.C Kern, J.R Foster, J.R Logen, Slametmuljana, and Asmah Haji Omar. The Proto Malay (Melayu Asli) who first arrived had agricultural skills while the second wave Deutero Malay (mixed blood) who arrived around 1500 BC and dwelled along the coastlines had advanced fishery skills. During the migration, both groups intermarried with peoples of the southern islands, such as those from
Java, and also with aboriginal peoples of
Australo-Melanesian,
Negrito and
Melanesian origin. Other evidence that supports this theory includes: • Stone tools found in the Malay Archipelago are analogous to Central Asian tools. • Similarities between Malay customs and
Assamese customs.
Deutero Malays Combination of the colonial Kambujas of
Hindu-
Buddhism faith, the
Indo-Persian royalties and traders as well as traders from southern China and elsewhere along the
ancient trade routes, these peoples together with the aborigine
Negrito Orang Asli and native seafarers and Proto Malays intermarried each other's and thus a new group of peoples was formed and became known as the Deutero Malays, today they are commonly known as the
Malays. == Malay language ==