Cultural Heritage

I. Understanding Culture

A. Cultures Change

1. causes

a) internal adaptation

b) external influence

2. time

a) unilinear development

b) age of settlement

B. European perspective

1. Pacific islanders a “double enigma”

a) limited technology

--> found & populated distant lands

b) distance & difference

-- most far-flung, so alike

-- most concentrated, so diverse

2. continental “common sense”

a) voyaging needs

b) dispersal by crossing land

c) differences proportional to distance

3. describing islanders

a) Polynesia

b) Melanesia

c) Micronesia

II. Cultural Categories

A. Polynesia (homogeneous)

1. languages (closely related)

2. society & politics

a) rank with mutual obligation

-- chiefs’ authority (inheritance & suitability)

-- commoners (hard labor)

b) political units

-- small atoll (i.e. Cook Is.)

-- tribes (i.e. New Zealand)

-- advanced kingdoms (i.e. Hawaii)

3. religion & beliefs

a) “departmental gods”

b) kahuna

c) mana & kapu

4. material culture

B. Melanesia (heterogeneous)

1. languages (1200+)

2. society & politics

a) generalizations

-- not seafarers

-- xenophobic

-- trade networks

b) ordering

-- kinship units (exogamy & war)

-- shifting swidden cultivation

--> limited accumulation of wealth

-- “Big Man”

3. religion & beliefs

a) ceremonies & rituals

b) magic & sorcery

4. material culture (pottery)

C. Micronesia

1. languages

2. society & politics (ranking system)

a) classes or grades

b) principle of dualism

c) matrilineal descent

3. religion & beliefs

4. material culture

a) pottery & loom

b) seagoing vessels

c) fishing tool-kit

Think/Write Question

Do you think classifying Pacific Islanders into cultural categories adds to or distracts from our understanding of them?