The achievement of simultaneity: kastom and place in Port Vila, Vanuatu
Historically, ni-Vanuatu in Port Vila have been portrayed as an un-grounded population, lacking the resources necessary to perpetuate a kastom-based, indigenous identity. Contrary to that approach, I demonstrate how the equation of kastom, place, and identity operates in town. Central to this is the...
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| Veröffentlicht in: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/jso, |
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| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Sprache: | Anglais |
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Journal de la société des océanistes
2017
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| Online Zugang: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Zusammenfassung: | Historically, ni-Vanuatu in Port Vila have been portrayed as an un-grounded population, lacking the resources necessary to perpetuate a kastom-based, indigenous identity. Contrary to that approach, I demonstrate how the equation of kastom, place, and identity operates in town. Central to this is the existence of non-geographical communities focussed around shared island of origin, and what I term the “achievement of simultaneity” between town and island. I describe several urban kastom practices that work to achieve town/island simultaneity including recognition of chiefly authority, a dispute settlement exchange, and a ceremony to welcome a new member of a political party. Overall, I suggest that the persistence of island-based identity both illustrates and enables the existence of kastom in town. |
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