Indigenous Studies Commons^™

The Banaban Resettlement: Implications For Pacific Environmental Migration, Gil Marvel P. Tabucanon

Pacific Studies

In the mid-1940s, Banaban Islanders relocated to Rabi Island in Fiji. The decision was the culmination of decades of phosphate mining on Banaba in colonial times. This article examines the context and long-term impacts of policies and legal frameworks relevant to the Banaban resettlement. The Banaban experience is a Significant case study because it involved relocation of an entire island population rather than individual or family migration, and the resettlement crossed international boundaries. Although the Banaban resettlement is unique and was contingent on peculiar colonial and factual circumstances it offers insights for environmental migration. Long-term preparation establishing trust funds, advance …

Review Teena Brown Pulu With A Foreword By Kalafi Moala. Shoot The Messenger: The Report On The Nuku 'Alofa Reconstruction Project And Why The Government Of Tonga Dumped It., Teresia Teaiwa

Pacific Studies

Shoot the Messenger by Teena Brown Pulu This compelling auto-ethnography by Teena Brown Pulu examines her abrupt dismissal from a government-commissioned investigation into Tonga’s Nukuʻalofa Reconstruction Project. Part memoir, part political analysis, the book critiques government suppression, explores the ethical tensions of indigenous scholarship, and reveals the personal costs of speaking truth to power. As both insider and critic, Pulu offers a rare, candid look at postcolonial state dynamics and the risks faced by diasporic researchers.

Taak In Sutik (I Want To Return), Jose Lopez Bribiesca

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this film is to have four descendants of the Maya tell their stories and through them, explain four difficult concepts facing the 21st century contemporary Maya:

* How do Mayan languages influence a worldview different than the westernized, globalized worldview?

* How do the media, especially through movies, portray the Maya and other indigenous groups unfairly?

* How have the descendants of the Maya coped with adapting to modernity while keeping their traditions intact?

* How will the four protagonists ensure the protection of their language and their culture when they return home?

Vol. 35 No. 1/2 (2012): Pacific Studies Front Matter, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies Brigham Young University–HawaiʻI

Pacific Studies

Front Matter for the Vol. 35, No 1/2-April-August, 2012 edition of the Pacific Studies Journal.

A Promised Land In The Diaspora: Christian Religion, Social Memory, And Identity Among Banabans In Fiji, Wolfgang Kempf

Pacific Studies

This article explores the evolving concept of diaspora, highlighting its departure from its original religious connotations to a broader framework encompassing migration, transnationalism, and identity. While religion has often been overlooked in contemporary diaspora studies, the article argues that Christian institutions play a pivotal role in shaping identity and social organization among Pacific Islanders living abroad. Focusing on diasporic Banabans in Fiji, the study examines how Christian discourses and biblical narratives—particularly the Exodus motif—have been appropriated to articulate a collective history of displacement and survival. The article situates Pacific migration within a historical and colonial context, demonstrating how religion functions …

Issues Of Concern To Rotumans Abroad: A View From The Rotuma Website, Alan Howard, Jan Rensel

Pacific Studies

This article examines the Rotuman diaspora and its impact on cultural identity, focusing on expatriates’ perceptions of Rotuma as an ancestral home. Despite Rotuma's political affiliation with Fiji for over a century, its people maintain distinct linguistic and cultural ties to Polynesian islands like Tonga, Samoa, and Futuna. Today, most Rotumans live abroad, primarily in Fiji and across various global locations. Drawing on decades of research and online postings from the Rotuma Website, the authors explore how expatriates engage with their heritage, sustain community connections, and navigate identity in the diaspora. Through interviews and long-term fieldwork, the study highlights the …

Vol. 35 No. 1/2 (2012): Pacific Studies Full Issue, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies Brigham Young University–HawaiʻI

Pacific Studies

Pacific Studies is published two times a year by The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies, Brigham Young University Hawai‘i #1979, 55–220 Kulanui Street, Lāʻie, Hawai‘i 96762, but responsibility for opinions expressed in the articles rests with the authors alone. Subscription rate is US$26.00 yearly, payable to The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies. The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies (formerly The Pacific Institute) is an organization funded by Brigham Young University Hawai‘i. The Center assists the University in meeting its cultural and educational goals by undertaking a program of teaching, research, and …

Carolinians In Saipan: Shared Sensations And Subtle Voices, Susanne Kuehling

Pacific Studies

This article examines the Carolinian diaspora in Saipan, emphasizing the role of sensory experiences and "invisible belongings" in preserving cultural identity. Despite colonial disempowerment, Carolinians have maintained a sense of unity and resisted assimilation through shared memories, kinship practices, and symbolic traditions. The study explores how spatial organization, gender roles, and everyday interactions—particularly within female spaces—support cultural continuity in displacement. By analyzing the significance of flower garlands and household routines, the article highlights how migrants sustain a familiar sense of place across generations. Ultimately, it contributes to discussions on diasporic identity, mobility, and the enduring influence of sensory memory in …

Teaching Culture With A Modern Valuable: Lessons About Money For And From Tongan Youth In New Zealand, Ping-Ann Addo

Pacific Studies

This article explores how diaspora, monetary wealth, and kinship intersect in transnational Tongan families, framing diaspora as both a cultural phenomenon and a means of engaging with modernity. While remittances are often emphasized, the study examines nonremittance money practices among Tongans in New Zealand, showing how shifting uses of money redefine kinship and obligation. Traditional forms of wealth, like koloa and ngāue, remain significant, but money now plays a vital role in expressing family values and sustaining social bonds. The article highlights tensions between tradition and modernity, obligation and autonomy, and material and relational value, offering insights into how …

Kapingamarangi People In The United States, Michael D. Lieber, Willys Peters, Rosita Peters, Mike Borong

Pacific Studies

This article explores the Kapingamarangi diaspora, focusing on the formation and transformation of their communities outside their ancestral homeland. Since their initial migration to Pohnpei in 1919, Kapinga people have established enclaves across Micronesia and the United States, driven by educational opportunities and labor recruitment. The study examines how Kapinga migrants sustain cultural identity through face-to-face interactions and digital communication, redefining the concept of community in a transnational context. By analyzing their lived experiences—including challenges related to healthcare, employment, and social integration—the article highlights the interplay between traditional Kapinga cultural models and adaptation in the diaspora. Ultimately, this work contributes …

Pohnpeians In Hawai‘I: Refashioning Identity In Diaspora, Suzanne Falgout

Pacific Studies

This article explores the enduring significance of voyaging in Micronesian life, tracing its evolution from ancient exploration to modern migration. Historically, Oceanic peoples navigated vast distances, guided by sophisticated techniques such as etak, and maintained strong kinship and trade connections. Pohnpeians, once skilled voyagers, transitioned to a land-centered lifestyle due to their island’s abundant resources, yet travel remained a culturally marked practice associated with prestige and danger. In recent centuries, migration patterns have shifted, driven by colonial influences and economic necessity. Pohnpeian migrants in Hawai‘i navigate identity transformation while preserving traditional values, adapting through social networks and cultural practices. This …

Discourses On Chuukese Customary Adoption, Migration, And The Laws Of State(S), Manuel Rauchholz

Pacific Studies

This article concerns Chuukese adoption, child exchange, and fosterage practices and how they are continued or discontinued when Chuukese migrate to Guam, Hawai‘i, or the continental United States.1 By focusing on one cultural practice and the system of values attached to it, I hope to pinpoint some of the major changes that take place when key identity- shaping factors diversify and are no longer shared by an ethnic group, let alone families within that ethnic group. We will see how, for Chuukese today, “cultural citizenship” is a “dual process of self-making and being made within the webs of power linked …

Return Migration To American Samoa, Fepulea‘I Micah Van Der Ryn

Pacific Studies

This article examines the rising phenomenon of return migration to American Samoa, driven by economic, social, and familial factors. With a growing percentage of residents consisting of "returnees" from the U.S.-based Samoan diaspora, this migration reflects deep connections to land, kinship, and cultural identity. Using case studies and interviews, the study analyzes how returnees reintegrate into traditional Samoan structures, navigating values such as tautua (service), alofa (compassion), and fa‘aāloalo (respect). Differences in governance between American Samoa and independent Samoa shape migration patterns, influencing land tenure and chiefly authority. Socioeconomic and environmental factors also impact migration decisions, revealing a complex interplay …

Pacific Islands Diaspora Studies, Michael A. Rynkiewich

Pacific Studies

This article highlights the underrepresentation of Pacific Islands in diaspora studies, arguing that their migration history is deeply significant and worthy of greater academic attention. While diaspora research has expanded in recent decades, traditional frameworks such as diffusion and acculturation struggle to capture contemporary mobility patterns shaped by new technologies and global networks. The study explores how migration has evolved from ancient voyaging traditions to modern transnational connectivity, emphasizing hybridity and sustained cultural ties rather than assimilation. By examining shifting theoretical perspectives, the article calls for an updated approach to diaspora studies that better reflects Pacific Islanders' ongoing exchanges between …

You’Ll Always Be Family: Formulating Marshallese Identities In Kona, Hawai‘I, Laurence Marshall Carucci

Pacific Studies

This article examines the challenges faced by Enewetak Marshall Islanders living on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, highlighting their struggle for acceptance in a community where they often feel unwelcome. Despite U.S. President Ronald Reagan's 1985 remarks about their inclusion as "family," Marshall Islanders have encountered ethnic stereotyping and social exclusion. The study traces their displacement history, from World War II upheaval to nuclear testing, and their eventual return to a diminished homeland. Faced with limited resources and deteriorating health, many relocated to Hawai‘i, forming a growing community. The article explores how their identities have evolved in response to negative …

Christian Progress And American Myth: A Deep Cultural Analysis Of Spatiality And Exceptionalism In Struggles Over American Indian Lands, Bradley J. Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although typically characterized in politico-economic, social, and environmental terms, land struggles involving American Indian communities can be more accurately and valuably characterized as deep culture conflicts over the problem of space. As scholars like Vine Deloria Jr. and Tink Tinker contend, a significant distinction can be noted between the traditional American Indian and White Western approaches to this problem regarding how human communities should relate to particular spatial locations. In short, while Indian peoples tend to situate their identities relative to clearly defined places or lands, individuals of European descent are inclined to subordinate spatial relations to temporal concerns. Considering …

The Sacred Role Of Animal Beings In Iroquois Lore, Melissa J. Martinelli

English Theses

The act of storytelling provides a connection between the spiritual and physical spheres, and the Haudenosaunee people (more commonly recognized as Iroquois) utilize the oral narrative to convey the most sacred truths of their culture. In focusing primarily upon animals and animal beings, one can recognize the deep reverence traditional tribal members feel toward animals as certain legends seek to unite individuals with the spirits, personalities, and bodies of such creatures in narrative form. Too often animals are overlooked as “lesser” beings, yet in legends of the Iroquois they possess potent orenda (great power) that can help one achieve success …

The Truth Between The Teeth: An Analysis Of Interproximal Tooth Wear At The Ables Creek Cemetery, Amy Reynolds Warren

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Current archaeological knowledge suggests that, by the Late Mississippian period, inhabitants of the southeastern United States had adopted maize agriculture and that maize was a key component of the normal diet. However, in some regions where wild food resources were easily attainable, there is evidence that the transition to agriculture was delayed or did not occur at all. This thesis examines Late Mississippian skeletal collections from two sites in eastern Arkansas, Ables Creek and Upper Nodena. Analysis of differences in interproximal tooth wear facet size and caries rates between the two populations reveals that the diets at these roughly contemporary …

Agenda: A Life Of Contributions For All Time: Symposium In Honor Of David H. Getches, University Of Colorado Boulder. School Of Law, University Of Colorado Law Review

A Life of Contributions for All Time: Symposium in Honor of David H. Getches (April 26-27)

On April 26-27, 2012, Colorado Law honored David H. Getches with a symposium to celebrate his life and legacy of trailblazing scholarship. “A Life of Contributions for All Time” featured a keynote address by Distinguished Professor Charles Wilkinson entitled, “Hero for the People, Hero for the Land and Water: Reflections on the Enduring Contributions of David Getches.” Top scholars in the fields of natural resources, water, and American Indian law reflected on Dean Getches’ contributions and their own insights into these fields, including Professor John Leshy, John Echohawk, Professor Carole Goldberg, Professor Joe Sax, Professor Rebecca Tsosie, Justice Greg Hobbs, …

The 5 W'S Of The White House Tribal Nations Conferences: 2009-2011, Elizabeth A. Shulterbrandt

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper attempts to provide an answer to the question of why the White House Tribal Nations Conferences (2009-2011) are happening by offering two hypothesis-- the first being the growing American Indian political power, while the other looks at whether the Conferences are simply symbolic politics--as potential answers. An in depth analysis of the Conferences and the purported accomplishments from the summits are analyzed in order to gain a deeper understanding of the Conferences themselves. Lastly, an interview with a tribal leader is presented to provide another framework in which to view the Conferences.

Native Tribal Scholars; Strengthening Families-Grandparents Raising Grandchildren; Native American And Indigenous Studies Annual Conference 2012, Cedric Woods, Institute For New England Native American Studies, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Native Tribal Scholars is a pre-collegiate initiative developed and run as a collaboration between the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, the North American Indian Center of Boston, and UMass Boston (Institute for New England Native American Studies and Academic Support Services). Native youth in grades 8-12 consistently lag behind their non-Native peers on many key academic indicators contributing to fewer Native high school students adequately prepared for college. The goal of this initiative is to provide academic support to Native American youth in these age groups. This is a Massachusetts based summer residential program that focuses on teaching science, math and writing …

Eastern Pequot Archaeological Field School, Steven Silliman

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

This project assists with locating historical cultural sites on Eastern Pequot reservation established in A.D 1683, and providing historical preservation and archaeological services at low to no cost to this Native American community. This project also trains undergraduate and graduate students from UMass Boston and other institutions and tribal community interns in archaeological techniques, heritage preservation, Native American history, colonial studies and collaborative research methods. It aims to improve archaeological fieldwork and interpretations as part of a deeply collaborative relationship, and also study Eastern Pequot house sites, using artifacts, animal bones , plant remains, architecture, landscape historical documents and oral …

The Effects Of Tribal Governments On Reservation Poverty Rates, Heather Raisch

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Poverty rates on Indian reservations are far higher than the national average. Since Tribal Governments have at least some control over these reservations, to what extent are they to blame for these higher than average poverty rates? I look at each reservation and their type of government, constitution, policies and demographics to analyze the causes of their poverty as it relates to tribal government. There are many other pieces of research that are similar to this, but none looking specifically at the overall effects the government has on its community. My hypothesis is that communities with higher poverty rates tend …

Chapter 1, Another Perspective, In Intimacy And Community In A Changing World: Sikaiana Life 1980-1993, William Donner

Sikaiana Ethnography

This chapter serves as an introduction to cultural anthropology as an enterprise and this ethnography of the Sikaiana people. It discusses why learning about other cultures is important to for understanding human diversity across the globe and also provided another perspective for examining and understanding my own culture.

Fort St. Joseph And The American Revolution, Scott T. Macpherson

Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project

Bennett’s Expedition 1779, Raid on Fort St. Joseph 1780, The “Spanish Raid” 1781, Deportation of the French, and Demise of Fort St. Joseph.

The Military At Fort St. Joseph, Scott T. Macpherson

Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project

Showing the Flag, Troupes de la Marine, Militia, and Fort St. Joseph’s Military Actions.

Crafts Of Color: Tupi Tapirage In Early Colonial Brazil, Amy Buono

Art Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"Tyrian purple. Lamp black. Lead white. Cadmium yellow. Ultramarine blue. The materiality of color, as it is often discussed, has a fixed quality. Pigments and dyes derived from many natural substances-minerals, earths, plants, and animals-have stable optic qualities. Lapis lazuli can be reliably counted upon to be blue. Dyes made from cochineal consistently fall within a certain range at the red end of the spectrum. Similarly, we might expect that the green feathers of a bird such as the Festive Parrot (Amazona festiva), after molting, would be replaced by equally green plumes. As the excerpt above suggests, from …

The Impact Of Dakota Missions On The Development Of The U.S.-Dakota War Of 1862, Daphne D. Hamborg

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis explores the relationships between three groups of people on the mid-nineteenth century Minnesota frontier: evangelical Protestant missionaries, the Dakota who converted to the Christian faith and lifestyle taught by these missionaries, and the Dakota who remained traditional in their outlook and lifestyle. It does this through an analysis of the impact of these relationships on the development of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. As is made clear through the use of both primary and secondary sources, the missionaries helped create tensions within the Dakota community, tensions expressed through shifting social structures, argument, alienation, and, at times, violence. As …

Conceptualizations Of Wisdom In The Native American Community, Lamar Smith

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study examined implicit theories of wisdom in a sample of adult individuals who identified as Native American. The research question focused on definitions of wisdom as they exist in the Native American Community. A total of eight participants were asked to answer the question “What is wisdom and how does one become wise?”. Interviews approximately 60 minutes in length revealed several themes in participant’s conceptualizations of wisdom. The study revealed that participants believed wisdom to be based on fundamental building blocks of a worldview of interconnectedness, a collectivist social structure, and an individual value system promoting of personal …

Motivation In The Portland Chinuk Wawa Language Community, Abigail Elaina Pecore

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout the world, languages are becoming extinct at an alarming rate. Perhaps half of the 6,000-7,000 languages worldwide will go extinct in the next 50-100 years. One of these dying languages, Chinook Jargon or Chinuk Wawa, a language found in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, is in the process of being revitalized through the concerted efforts of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde (CTGR). Reasons to revitalize endangered languages often seem irrelevant to our modern daily lives, and revitalizing these languages is a difficult process requiring much dedication, commitment, and persistence. In light of this significant struggle, understanding …