The People of the Sea: Environment, Identity, And History in Oceania

by Paul D'Arcy

Darcy (Pacific and environmental history, Australian National U.) examines the Pacific Islanders' varied relationships with the sea from 1770 until 1870. Following an introductory chapter discussing the ways in which modern studies have characterized the region, the text examines the day-to-day life in the near-shore environments around settlements, peaceful interactions between communities involving sea travel, the infrastructure necessary for sea travel, how maritime boundaries were decided, Islanders' attitudes toward outsiders, inter-island exchanges in the western Caroline Islands, and how Islanders' relationships with the sea were profoundly altered during colonial rule. For students and scholars of Pacific history and environmental and cultural studies. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Genres: History

292 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2005

Reviews

[AskHistorians]

An in-depth exploration of Oceanic voyaging and navigation that focuses particularly on interconnectedness and the science of navigation.