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Journal of New Zealand & Pacific Studies - Current Issue

Volume 11, Issue 1

Volume 11, Issue 1, 2023

  • Editorial

      • Editorial

        https://doi.org/10.1386/nzps_00148_2

        At the May 2023 meeting of G7 nations in Hiroshima, Japan invited eight additional participants. These included the Cook Islands, who represented the Pacific Islands Forum. Whilst it is positive to have Pacific Islands representation at the meeting, the failure of the West to recognize the importance of the wider Pacific Ocean has become a real issue. This extends to western maps and globes which have repeatedly omitted and ‘lost’ Pacific islands creating a series of cartographic absences that have led to misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific. Island sovereignty, intercultural dialogue and traditional practices and beliefs are crucial components of Pacific cultures and these are key themes which are addressed in the four articles and reports in this issue.

  • Articles

      • Māori perspectives on justice for Pacific Islanders at risk of climate-induced displacement

        https://doi.org/10.1386/nzps_00136_1

        Anthropogenic climate change is causing ocean acidification and sea levels to rise, threatening the economic, food and physical security of low-lying Pacific Islands. Debates ensue as to whether these effects will force islanders to migrate and, if so, how the international community should conceive of and provide justice for climate-induced displacees. These debates pivot around questions of causality, agency, justice and state security. By focusing on the Indigenous intercultural dynamics that permeate the South Pacific, especially with regard to Polynesian solidarity, this study aims to add further nuance to the debate on how to govern climate-induced migration in the Pacific. Māori environmental activists and experts were interviewed for their views on justice for at-risk Pacific Islanders. Analysis revealed that interviewees conceptualized justice through a holistic prism, accounting for short- and long-term spiritual, psychological and socio-economic impacts of displacement. Drawing on Māori genealogy and principles, interviewees expressed a strong preference and perceived obligation to assist Polynesian displacees. A three-pronged paradigm of justice for Pacific Island displacees emerged based on the concepts of whakapapa, whakamana and rangatiratanga, promoting empowerment, epistemological equity and sovereignty. Rooted in Māori philosophy, this paradigm departs from the state security logic currently dominating climate change and migration discourses.

    • Creation and development of the Hawaiian consular network in Chile: The case of the Beyerbach administration, 1851–57

      https://doi.org/10.1386/nzps_00146_1

      The focus of this article is the process of the creation and installation of the consular network of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i in Chile (1851–57), which was headed by Eduard Beyerbach, its first consul in the South American country. With competition between the powers of the northern hemisphere for dominating territories in the Pacific, the sovereignty and independence of the island Kingdom of Hawai‘i was seriously threatened. This explains Honolulu’s interest in creating, maintaining and increasing its consular presence in the main ports of the world in general and, in this particular case, in those of the Chilean South Pacific. This study, based on an analysis of Chilean, American and Hawaiian primary sources of the time, stored in different historical and diplomatic archives, presents new information about Hawaiian foreign policy in relation to South America. It is argued that economic-commercial, national security and eventually humanitarian reasons explain the creation and enlargement of the Hawaiian Kingdom consular network in Chile in the 1850s. The research explores the precedents for the bilateral relationship and the identities and actions of those individuals – Beyerbach, in particular – who made possible its development.

  • Reports

      • Common traditional medicinal seaweeds used by Indigenous Fijians in Viti Levu, Fiji Islands

        Authors: Danian Singh and Kelera Railoa
        https://doi.org/10.1386/nzps_00147_7

        Indigenous Fijians have a long history of using medicinal resources from both land and ocean. Terrestrial medicinal plants have been documented in numerous studies carried out across the islands of Fiji but there is a dearth of research regarding marine resources. Ten marine medicinal seaweeds were documented in this study derived from information provided by villagers. Usage of these seaweeds varied depending on the type of illness and availability of resources. Common preparation methods of extracting medicinal properties from these resources include boiling the plant, raw consumption or simply using it as an ingredient in meals. Traditional healers are a crucial component of a traditional Fijian community as villagers depend on them for guidance to cure illnesses. The information collected for this study reveals an erosion of traditional knowledge occurring in Indigenous societies and highlights the need for documentation of this wealth of knowledge as well as an awareness of the importance of medicinal plants in Pacific Islands.

    • COVID-19 funerals: Minorities and the digital space

      https://doi.org/10.1386/nzps_00141_7

      The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic brought the world to a standstill. In particular, it changed the funeral processes of communal groups. Their collective ways of mourning were disrupted, as travel bans and social distance restrictions meant people were not allowed to physically gather. Despite these restrictions, these communities were able to maintain social connection from a distance. The communities which are being addressed in this report have been able to use the digital space to collectively engage with family and friends during the grieving process. This cohort has used the digital space to ensure funerals are still communal in nature and that family and friends remain able to gather to comfort and uplift each other. As a member of my community I present the funeral narratives, communal resilience and creativity through the digital space.

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