THE RELATIONS OF MEN, ANIMALS, AND PLANTS IN AN ISLAND COMMUNITY (FIJI)¹

Parental values and behavior in the outer Fiji islands

“…Perhaps because of the difficulty and expense of transport to Suva, however, cash cropping consumed very little of villagers' work effort compared to production for their own use. The fundamental aspects of the economy were found to be similar to those described for Fiji by others: traditional cooperative work and exchanges of goods, both formal and informal (Nayacakalou, 1978;Sahlins, 1962;Thompson, 1949). These mechanisms allowed the particular food resources of one lineage group or village to be spread throughout the village and district and also exchanged between urban and rural areas.…”

“…Sixty-three percent of the married mothers were from a village other than the one in which they currently resided: Thirty-seven percent were from a neighboring village (on the same or a nearby island), and 26 percent were from a distant village. Marriages between neighboring villages were especially important because, in the Fijian kinship system, marriage bonds provide channels of political and material support (Becker, 1983;Nayacakalou, 1978;Sahlins, 1962;Thompson, 1949). Because natural resources varied noticeably between villages, the informal exchanges of goods that occurred between persons related by marriage and living in neighboring villages were clearly advantageous.…”

Cultivating an Ecological and Social Balance: Elite Demands and Commoner Knowledge in Ancient Ma‘ohi Agriculture, Society Islands

“…1600 (Lepofsky 1994, 1999). In general, we lack detailed accounts of Ma‘ohi terrestrial ecological knowledge similar to that recorded for other Pacific Islands (e.g., Handy and Handy 1972; Thompson 1949). Ethnohistoric texts focus on the actions of the elite and those living close to the coast; there are few direct observations of cultivation practices or farmers’ knowledge.…”

“…In contrast to models of human‐induced detrimental impacts or a focus on elite‐driven actions that are somewhat removed from the environment, there are numerous examples in the Pacific ethnographic literature of specific applications of traditional ecological knowledge and both overt and covert management that focus instead on actions that maintain and increase biological diversity (e.g., Chapman 1987; Freeman et al 1991; Johannes 1981; Kitalong 2008; Ruddle and Johannes 1989; Thompson 1949). Descriptions of traditional agricultural practices, for example, recount how ecological knowledge about intercropping, crop diversification, and crop care result in highly managed, productive, sustained‐yield cropping systems (e.g., Decker and Thaman 1993; Hunter‐Anderson 1991).…”

Bridging islands and calming seas: A material flow management approach to sustainable sea transportation for Fiji's lower southern Lau islands

“…RatuFinau -the last waqadruaAs Nuttall, D"Arcy and Philps(2014, 2) indicate, historical analyses and perspectives on Fijian sailing culture are dispersed among various sources. One of the most detailed accounts of Lau culture comes from LauraThompson (1938;1949). The Lau islands of Kabara, Fulaga and Ogea are unique in their limestone foundations, and they have traditionally been the source of hardwoods ideal for shipbuilding(Intsiabijuga 6 , Pittosprumbrackenridgei, Dysoxylumrichii).…”