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C. Ledderucci
unite Pacific Islanders and to make Oceania prosperous and able to act when necessary as a united body, bound by cultural ties: the same as the concept of ‘grassroots
regionalism’ as proposed by Titifanue et al. (2017).
Religion is a key component of contemporary Pacific identities (Nunn et al. 2016).
The Warriors refer to an ecumenical Christian faith, both Catholic and Protestant,
as an endogenous characteristic (Steiner 2015) although Christianity was imposed
by Western settlers. Despite being a colonial artefact, religion is so important and
fundamental in Pacific societies today that Gnecchi Ruscone stated: “it is not possible
to talk about cultural life in Melanesia without considering Christianity” (2012,
p. 183, author’s translation from Italian). Some other aspects of this common identity
proposed by the activists include mana (see Tomlinson and Tengan 2016) and the
ocean (see Hau’ofa 1998) and the attachment to a place, as mentioned above.
Along with religion, the land and the ocean are fundamental elements of Pacific
societies. The articulation between roots and routes proposed by Clifford (2001) and
the metaphor of the tree and the canoe (to exemplify traditional identity) suggested
by Bonnemaison (1985) can help explain the connection between land and ocean.
The land is usually a symbol of attachment to place in Pacific Island cultures,
the homeland in which indigenous people are rooted (Bonnemaison 1985; Clifford
2001; Farbotko et al. 2018; Kempf and Hermann 2014; Kim 2020). The ancestors,
the cornerstones of Pacific societies, are buried in it: land in this sense symbolizes
‘where one comes from’, strengthening the idea of belonging. Yet at the same time,
although significant, land does not delimit Pacific spatial, political and cultural values
(Farbotko et al. 2015).
The ocean is what makes Pacific societies proud of themselves: their cultures
are all about voyaging and navigation (Farbotko 2012; Farbotko et al. 2018). Thus
canoe-building is an important event in village life but also a community-building
moment (see Steiner 2015 for the canoe-building day of action promoted by the
Warriors). Canoes sailing the ocean, following itineraries that connect the ‘sea of
islands’ are a strong symbol of Pacific mobility.
As observed by Hau’ofa (1994, 1998) the land and the ocean are fundamental
to place oneself in the structure of Pacific Islands societies. For example, in New
Caledonia, everyone can go fishing and has land to cultivate but only a few clans and
families have the right to provide crops and fish for different ceremonies, affirming
and maintaining in this way their social status (Sabinot and Juncker 2018). Sabinot
and Juncker (2018) also underline that climate changes and new fishing techniques
have led over the years to a decrease in fish stock and of certain species which
to the Kanak community are a means to renew the spiritual connection with the
ancestors through rituals. This threatens the customary and spiritual organization of
society. The land and the ocean are essential to Pacific societies to place themselves
in the world because they organize the local cosmologies (Crook and Rudiak-Gould
2018). Thus it is important to hold together these two concepts in an open and more
productive dialogue (Farbotko et al. 2015).
Land and ocean, faith, attachment to place and mobility are used by the Warriors as
key notions to contest the inevitability of migration and resettlement, often proposed
by NGOs and international institutions. This stark contrast (forced migration vs.
C. Ledderucci
unite Pacific Islanders and to make Oceania prosperous and able to act when necessary as a united body, bound by cultural ties: the same as the concept of ‘grassroots
regionalism’ as proposed by Titifanue et al. (2017).
Religion is a key component of contemporary Pacific identities (Nunn et al. 2016).
The Warriors refer to an ecumenical Christian faith, both Catholic and Protestant,
as an endogenous characteristic (Steiner 2015) although Christianity was imposed
by Western settlers. Despite being a colonial artefact, religion is so important and
fundamental in Pacific societies today that Gnecchi Ruscone stated: “it is not possible
to talk about cultural life in Melanesia without considering Christianity” (2012,
p. 183, author’s translation from Italian). Some other aspects of this common identity
proposed by the activists include mana (see Tomlinson and Tengan 2016) and the
ocean (see Hau’ofa 1998) and the attachment to a place, as mentioned above.
Along with religion, the land and the ocean are fundamental elements of Pacific
societies. The articulation between roots and routes proposed by Clifford (2001) and
the metaphor of the tree and the canoe (to exemplify traditional identity) suggested
by Bonnemaison (1985) can help explain the connection between land and ocean.
The land is usually a symbol of attachment to place in Pacific Island cultures,
the homeland in which indigenous people are rooted (Bonnemaison 1985; Clifford
2001; Farbotko et al. 2018; Kempf and Hermann 2014; Kim 2020). The ancestors,
the cornerstones of Pacific societies, are buried in it: land in this sense symbolizes
‘where one comes from’, strengthening the idea of belonging. Yet at the same time,
although significant, land does not delimit Pacific spatial, political and cultural values
(Farbotko et al. 2015).
The ocean is what makes Pacific societies proud of themselves: their cultures
are all about voyaging and navigation (Farbotko 2012; Farbotko et al. 2018). Thus
canoe-building is an important event in village life but also a community-building
moment (see Steiner 2015 for the canoe-building day of action promoted by the
Warriors). Canoes sailing the ocean, following itineraries that connect the ‘sea of
islands’ are a strong symbol of Pacific mobility.
As observed by Hau’ofa (1994, 1998) the land and the ocean are fundamental
to place oneself in the structure of Pacific Islands societies. For example, in New
Caledonia, everyone can go fishing and has land to cultivate but only a few clans and
families have the right to provide crops and fish for different ceremonies, affirming
and maintaining in this way their social status (Sabinot and Juncker 2018). Sabinot
and Juncker (2018) also underline that climate changes and new fishing techniques
have led over the years to a decrease in fish stock and of certain species which
to the Kanak community are a means to renew the spiritual connection with the
ancestors through rituals. This threatens the customary and spiritual organization of
society. The land and the ocean are essential to Pacific societies to place themselves
in the world because they organize the local cosmologies (Crook and Rudiak-Gould
2018). Thus it is important to hold together these two concepts in an open and more
productive dialogue (Farbotko et al. 2015).
Land and ocean, faith, attachment to place and mobility are used by the Warriors as
key notions to contest the inevitability of migration and resettlement, often proposed
by NGOs and international institutions. This stark contrast (forced migration vs.