The Kanak Awakening: The Rise of Nationalism in New Caledonia

Pacific Islands Monograph Series

by David A. Chappell

In 1853, France annexed the Melanesian islands of New Caledonia to establish a convict colony and strategic port of call. Unlike other European settler-dominated countries in the Pacific, the territory's indigenous people remained more numerous than immigrants for over a century. Despite military conquest, land dispossession, and epidemics, its thirty language groups survived on tribal reserves and nurtured customary traditions and identities. In addition, colonial segregation into the racial category of canaques helped them to find new unity. When neighboring anglophone colonies began to decolonize in the 1960s, France retained tight control of New Caledonia for its nickel reserves, reversing earlier policies that had granted greater autonomy for the islands. Anticolonial protest movements culminated in the 1980s Kanak revolt, after which two negotiated peace accords resulted in autonomy in a progressive form and officially recognized Kanak identity for the first time. But the near-parity of settlers and Kanak continues to make nation-building a challenging task, despite a 1998 agreement among Kanak and settlers to seek a "common destiny."



This study examines the rise in New Caledonia of rival identity formations that became increasingly polarized in the 1970s and examines in particular the emergence of activist discourses in favor of Kanak cultural nationalism and land reform, multiracial progressive sovereignty, or a combination of both aspirations. Most studies of modern New Caledonia focus on the violent 1980s uprising, which left deep scars on local memories and identities. Yet the genesis of that rebellion began with a handful of university students who painted graffiti on public buildings in 1969, and such activists discussed many of the same issues that face the country's leadership today. After examining the historical, cultural, and intellectual background of that movement, this work draws on new research in public and private archives and interviews with participants to trace the rise of a nationalist movement that ultimately restored self-government and legalized indigenous aspirations for sovereignty in a local citizenship with its own symbols. Kanak now govern two out of three provinces and have an important voice in the Congress of New Caledonia, but they are a slight demographic minority. Their quest for nationhood must achieve consensus with the immigrant communities, much as the founders of the independence movement in the 1970s recommended.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Indigenous

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 31, 2013

About the author

Historian.


Librarian note: There is more than one author with this name in this data base. This one is David A.^^Chappell.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lot. I knew diddly-squat about New Caledonian history before reading this book except for something something violent uprising something something 1988 Matignon Accord.

New Caledonia will have its second referendum on independence this year so this text, which covers New Caledonian history from pre-colonisation to approx. 2011, is acutely relevant to the politics currently playing out. Chappell is clear in presenting the historical narrative of New Caledonian nationalism, with a focus on the Kanak activism that emerged post Mai-68, particularly in the form of Les Foulards Rouges. The historical analysis and evaluation is minimal but that is a good thing in this case. Chappell mostly allows his collected history to speak for itself.

This book is an excellent read if you are interested in French colonisation (and its catastrophic consequences) or in past or modern New Caledonia. This is a very in-depth account - prepare yourself for a lot of acronyms - but it's a wild ride.

[Celeste Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unbelievably dense. I am in awe of Dr. Chappell's attention to detail and ability to weave together New Caledonia's independence movement with that of the wider Pacific. The research behind this book is absolutely impeccable and offers very interesting themes about how a nation differentiates itself in modern times.

That said, it is basically a textbook. It is not a "pleasant" read, per se, but it is by far the most comprehensive and informative resource available about New Caledonia.

I could only recommend this book if you are visiting New Caledonia (and have a deep interest in detail politics) or if you're a big ol' nerd about independence movements

[AskHistorians]

A survey history of colonialism, politics, and nationalism in New Caledonia.