 The Polynesian name for the small islet of Salas y Gómez ("Manu Motu Motiro Hiva", "Bird's islet on the way to a far away land") "east" of Easter Island has also been seen as a hint that South America was known before European contacts.Further complicating the situation is that the word "Hiva" ("far away land") was also the name of the islanders' legendary home country.Inexplicable insistence on an eastern origin for the first inhabitants was unanimous among the islanders in all early accounts.