Unity of Heart: Culture and Change in a Polynesian Atoll Society

by Keith Chambers, Anne Chambers

The authors are social anthropologists affiliated with Southern Oregon University. They write here about their fieldwork in Nanumea, one of eight separate island communities comprising the modern Pacific nation of Tuvalu. The book includes a glossary, a bibliography, and a study guide, but, inexplicably, no index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction

283 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Marc Bechtold · Rating 4 out of 5]

An open-hearted, honest though sometimes a little too structural ethnography on life in Nanumea, the northernmost atoll of Tuvalu. Keith and Anne Chambers visited the country three times before publication of the book and especially within the first 50 pages, you can outright feel the very sincere and deep impression Nanumea has left in their hearts.
Both authors describe life in Nanumea, their experiences and filtrate specific aspects as centrally important: among them the familial ties, social groupings, sharing economy and lotofenua, or love for the own island community. The community changed a lot from the first visit in 1973 to the last one before publication of the book in 1996 and they address changes in a very comprehensive manner. Sometimes the read drifts of in terms a bit too technical for my liking, but nonetheless comprehensible.
Among Nanumeans, Keith and Anne Chambers' names are fondly remembered. In further work, they also critically reflect on their own presence in the field and how their actions might have contributed to local conflict - a very honest and reflective approach to own fieldwork. Even now, their website https://www.nanumea.net/ stands testament to their community engagement and offers a wonderful companion to the reading of this important book.
Though the overly complicated technicality in some parts of the book are indeed challenging at times, I wish I had read more ethnographies like Unity of Heart during my studies of cultural anthropology as an example of the very sincere and heartfelt relations that can result from long-term community engagement.

[Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A description of the atoll community of Nanumea in the small Pacific island of Tuvalu. The authors are anthropologists who spent time on Nanumea in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, and their book is readable and interesting even for general readers. Highlights include anecdotes from their fieldwork, descriptions of the colonial and WWII history of the community, analysis of the structure of the community and kinship relations, and explorations of the tension between Nanumea's traditional communal sharing obligations and the economic impact of globalization.

[brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

not normally my type of book i wud read, but overall it was pretty interesting!