Pacific Business Daily

What is the difference between asians and pacific islander?

okay i am just wondering what is the differences between asians and pacific islander i have friends that are filipino and they say they are pacific islander but isn't the philipines considered in asia? and also hawaiian people are also considered pacific islander they look like asian, but they are darker? can somebody tell me?

Public Comments

1. the region where you come from...................
2. Um, hello? Not all Asians are from Pacific Islands.
3. A lot of Filipinos don't consider themselves as "Asians" and many do... I guess it's just a preference. I have a few Filipino friends and they all consider themselves Asian, and I've known a few that deny it like it's a disease and prefer to be called "Pacific Islander." I don't really care what they want to be called, I'm not offended one way or the other.
4. Asians are from the continent Asia, which is mostly China these days. A few of the closest and largest islands are considered part of Asia. Japan is generally considered "Asia", for example. Anything farther out or smaller is a "Pacific Island". Technically, this would include the islands in the extreme north, up near the Bering Strait. But people are usually refering to the tropical islands when they say Pacific Islands. Pacific Islanders and Asians look very similar, the theory is that there was a lot of genetic exchange back in the day. On averag, PI folk are a little darker skinned and have a higher percentage of body fat, giving them a "smoother" or more "rounded" body and face shape. They also tend to be taller and just generally larger than Asians. Of course, that is all based on averages and gross over-generalizations.
5. Just because someone looks Asian, doesn't mean that they are Asian. Pacific islander is someone from Polynesia, Melanesia or Micronesia. Your friends are Asian, unless their family moved from Polynesia, Melanesia or Micronesia..
6. I have no idea.
7. This thing is TOO CONTROVESIAL....anyways P.I. is in asia so technically FIlipinos are asian. Reasons People Say Filipinos Aren’t Asian 1. They consider Filipinos to be Pacific Islander. 2. More Than 300 Years of Spanish Rule. 3. Filipinos themselves not wanting to be regarded as Asian. 4. The idea that only Far Eastern or East Asian peoples are considered true Asian. An Update on the “Pacific Islander” Issue Archaeologists Find Evidence of Origin of Pacific Islanders A recent article discusses evidence found in China that explains that the Chinese were maritime travelers who sailed the Pacific Ocean as far back as 7,000 years ago… …if anything, Pacific Islanders have their origins in Southeast China, Taiwan, and Northern Philippines. So, Pacific Islanders are descended from The Philippines and Asia, and not the other way around. - Philippines is a melting pot of different ethnicities ie.(Chinese, Indian, American etc.)...majority is still the classic tanned islander look tho....I grew up there it ain't like other asian countries....it's like the brazil of Asia....A Filipino can be of any ethnicity. - I only consider myself "Filipino"... so people won't get confused.... Hope this helped..