Chapter 23 Oceania: The Pacific Islands. Overview First Europeans reported paradise- warm weather, sandy beaches, and tropical fruits ▫Some islanders.

Chapter 23

Oceania: The Pacific Islands

Overview• First Europeans reported paradise- warm weather, sandy

beaches, and tropical fruits▫ Some islanders still live off of main export—Copra– dried coconut

meat• Have to deal with typhoons, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes• Islanders have gone through acculturation—exposure to

values and lifestyle of another group of people and adopting those ways

• Overall very open to evangelism• After WWII, islands became territories to help stabilize, now

most, but not all, are independent again• Can be divided into 3 groups

▫ Melanesia▫ Micronesia▫ Polynesia

I. Melanesia• Near Indonesia and Australia• Named “black islands” by French explorer who saw

dark land rising from the green sea• Continental islands– separated from Australia by

Pacific Ocean• Native peoples practiced head hunting and cannibalism• Taro- a potato like root is a favorite food• Last of all Pacific Islands to be visited by

Europeans• Difficult to travel to – tricky currents, shallow waters• Includes: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji,

Vanuatu

Papua New Guinea• Two countries lie on the island of New Guinea—part of

Indonesia and the eastern half is Papua New Guinea• Named after Papuan people- in Malay means “fuzzy-

haired people”• Rugged mountain system, swamps and thick jungles cover

the land• British came in 1874 after Captain Moresby found a

harbor on the southern coast, settlers were actually missionaries wanting to reach the people▫ Capital: Port Moresby

• More people live in PNG than any other Pacific Island combined▫ two major categories of tribal people

Lowlanders- coast Highlanders- interior

▫ 3 languages- English, Tok Pisin, and Hiri Motu• Grand Valley in the interior kept a population of 1 million

hidden until 1930 when Australian gold prospectors finally managed to reach the highlands

• Travel is done mainly by boat or plane, no roads connecting the capital with the rest of the island

• Economy: Cacao, copra, coffee and copper

Solomon Islands

• Capital: Honiara• Spanish explorer Mendana expected to find riches, named

after King Solomon in the Bible• Great Britain took control in 1893 to protect the islanders from

being forced into slavery• English – official language—90 tribal languages• Guadalcanal- largest island, second most populous• 90% forest, less than 1% arable land• Battlefield sites visited by tourists- WWII US offensive

Vanuatu•Capital: Port-Vila•Chain of 12 volcanic islands •Subsistence economy- copra, cacao,

coffee and fishing•Used to be called New Hebrides- named

by Captain Cook (Hebrides Islands are off of Scotland) ▫gained independence in 1980 and changed

name

Fiji

• More than 800 scattered islands• ¾ of population live on Viti Levu (Big

Island)▫ Capital: Suva, largest city

• Before European settlers arrived, warring tribes of cannibals inhabited the islands ▫ Cannibalism ended when chief Cakobau

became a Christian• Great Britain protected for a while, but

now independent• Known as the “crossroads of the South

Pacific”

New Caledonia

• Captain Cook discovered the islands and thought they looked like Scotland… Caledonia is Latin for Scotland

• French sent prisoners to New Caledonia from 1853 to 1894 when they found nickel deposits beneath the mountains▫Still a French overseas territory

• Now one of the world’s leading producers of nickel▫Second biggest industry is tourism, popular

place for French cruises

II. Micronesia• Means “small islands”• Covers an area close the size of the US, land mass of about

Rhode Island• 3 Groups

▫ Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands• Most are atolls—rings of coral on the submerged edges of

a volcano▫ Coral islands are called low islands▫ Not good soil, dependant upon fishing or tourism

• After WWII most were given to the US in the Trust Territory of the Pacific▫ Now are self-governed in “free association” with US▫ Control internal and foreign affairs, but US defends them▫ Islands help out foreign military forces

Caroline Islands• 930 islands total• Divided into 2 groups

▫ Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae: 97% Christian, volcanic island, known for citrus fruits Pohnpei: forbidding terrain and heavy rainfall, city of Palikir

is the capital of the Fed. States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands (formerly Truk) and Yap Islands : site of

Japanese bases in WWII, best wreck-diving in the world- more than 100 ships and planes sunk when US bombarded

Free association with US▫ Belau/Palau

Poverty stricken, made up 200 islands Very dependent on imports Capital: Koror

Mariana Islands

• Stretch 350 miles• 14 islands, but 4 main, inhabited islands• Residents of the Marianas are US citizens• Cooler and drier climate that neighbor islands—grasslands to

tropical forests• Guam

▫ Largest island, most populous in Micronesia▫ Most of inhabitants are Japanese▫ territory of the US

• Tinian▫ Second most populous island, but least developed▫ Major US air base—base from which planes dropped the atomic

bombs• Saipan• Rota

Marshall Islands• 34 atolls and islands that split into 2 parallel chains• Capital: Majuro• Named for John Marshall- British sea captain who

explored the area in 1788• Bikini and Eniwetok atolls were used for nuclear

testing… residents still waiting to be able to return home

• Kwajalein- largest atoll in the world, encloses a 839 sq. mile lagoon▫ Home to Reagan Test Site—command and mission

control center for intercontinental ballistic missiles

Other Micronesian Islands• Nauru

▫3rd smallest country in the world (Vatican City and Monaco are smaller)

▫Capital: Yaren▫13,000 citizens, highest population

density in the Pacific▫No fresh water except rainwater, soil

is extremely poor, but is prosperous and financially successful

▫4/5 of island sits on deposit of high quality phosphate

▫Residents live solely off of the royalties from the government from the sale of phosphate—soon will be depleted

Other Micronesian Islands

•Kiribati▫Formerly called the Gilbert Islands▫Capital: Bairiki▫Straddles both the Equator and the

International Date Line▫Overcrowded, poor islands of people from

Polynesia and Micronesia▫Many are migrating to other Pacific islands

III. Polynesia• Means “many islands”• Islands are separated by thousands

of miles, but common culture and languages unite them

• Volcanic islands called High Islands

• Hereditary chiefs ruled and spread Christianity rapidly as the chiefs converted

• 4 island groups are independent, others remain closely tied to other countries▫ Tuvalu▫ Samoa Islands▫ Tonga▫ French Polynesia

Tuvalu

•Means “cluster of eight”—actually consists of 9 low-lying atolls (one is uninhabited)

•Capital: Funafuti•4th smallest nation in the world•One of most undeveloped countries in the

world•Soil is poor and islands have no mineral

resources•Relies on aid from Australia, Great

Britain, and Japan

Samoa Islands• Island chain has 2 parts

▫ Unincorporated territory of the US (east of that line) American Samoa- not citizens of US, but Nationals—can

enter US freely In much better economic shape than the country of Samoa—

US built up local tuna canning industry▫ Independent country (west of 171*W)

Capital: Apia• Mostly volcanic islands with fertile soil for bananas,

taro, and cacao• Christianity changed the war like society—John

Williams first missionary to the area• Some families still live in fales—framed houses with

roofs and open sides pg. 578

Tonga• Capital: Nuku'alofa• Oldest and last remaining kingdom in the Pacific• Most powerful chief took control over all the

islands in 1845 and declared himself King George Tupou I

• Constitutional Monarchy- gov. system• Methodist missionaries spread the gospel

▫Affected the government too—all trade, games and work is prohibited on Sunday

• Suffer from overcrowding—Tongatapu Island is home to 2/3 of the population

French Polynesia• Includes 5 major island groups—most important:

Society Islands- largest islands in the territory• Strong cultural and economic ties to France• In 1958 residents voted to remain part of France

rather than become independent▫ Vote in French presidential elections▫ Elect representatives to the French Parliament

• Majority of people live on island of Tahiti▫ Surrounded by coral reef creating a lagoon▫ Made up of 2 large volcanic mountains▫ Capital: Papeete▫ Tourism is major industry, traffic jams on the island are

common

Other Polynesian Islands• Belong to New Zealand

▫ Niue and Cook Islands• Belong to the US

▫ Hawaiian Islands Originally called the Sandwich Islands by

discoverers▫ Midway Islands

• Belongs to Great Britain▫ Pitcairn Islands pg. 579▫ Most famous mutiny in naval history▫ HMS Bounty sent to Tahiti▫ Captain Bligh and 18 loyals sailors were sent adrift▫ Mutineers hid out on Pitcairn Island

• Belongs to Chile▫ Easter Island pg. 580▫ Discovered on Easter 1772▫ 2600 miles off the coast of Chile▫ Rows of mysterious heads= moai