Polynesia!

Let the World now Hear the Voice of Polynesia!

Article

BY

R. W. Robson

Extraordinary things are being done in the world to-day to stimulate national unity and encour age nationalistic thought among races which hitherto have been dominated by Europeans.

We have examples in Asia and Indonesia. Personally, I like neither Indians nor Indonesians, and I am not happy to see even the beginning of their emergence as independent nations. I do not think that they have anything to contribute to the system of life which we call “Western civilisation.” However, one cannot hold back the tides. In another half century, these South Asiatic nations will be established, and nominally independent—although actually they may be all paying tribute to the Muscovite.

But there is one race of people which is entitled, under the Atlantic Charter and subsequent declarations, to national freedom, and which deserves all the best that Europeans can give; but which, because it lacks aggressiveness, is getting no attention from the United Nations, or any similar organisation. I refer to the Polynesians.

THE Polynesians, for 100 years, have lived in close and peaceful association with Europeans. The two races have inter-married freely, and each holds the esteem and respect of the other. The Europeans have helped the Polynesians to an understanding and acceptance of European stand ards of life; the Polynesians have stood loyally beside the Europeans in

all national crises for at least 50 years. I contend that, if there is any sincerity in these recent declarations regarding the rights of all peoples to self-expression and self-government, the Polynesians are entitled, at least, to recognition as one people.

At present, the Polynesians are scattered and divided, in this way:— Western Samoa, 45,000—a “Mandated Territory,” controlled by New Zealand.

Eastern Samoa, 10,000—a Territory administered by the Navy Department of the United States.

Tonga, 26,000 —a nominally independent Kingdom, supervised by the British Colonial Office.

Maoris of New Zealand, 70,000 —part of the Dominion of New Zealand.

Cook Islands, 14,000 —a Territory adminis tered by New Zealand.

Ellice Islands, 4,500 —part of the Gilbert and Ellice Colony, administered by Britain.

French Oceania 43,000 —a Territory of France.

Hawaii, 50,000 —a Territory of the United States.

In those archipelagoes there are nearly 250,000 people who are either pure Polynesian, or are Euronesians (European-Polynesian) grouped as Polynesians.

To that quarter million might pro perly be added 120,000 people who live in Fiji, 30,000 in the Gilberts, and some 50,000 in the Marshall, Caroline and Mariana Islands —some 200,000 altogether. They officially are classed as Micronesians, but they probably have stronger affinities with the Poly nesians than with any other race.

That certainly is true of the Fijians and Gilbertese (150,000 altogether).

Is there anything fantastic in the suggestion that we Europeans who are so busily creating unwanted and undesirable nations in Southern Asia, should do what we can to bring some sort of national unity to 250,000 Poly nesians, and to 200,000 Micronesians, who are first cousins of the Poly nesians?

THERE are unsurmountable obstacles in the way of a political Federa tion. The United States would no more think of handing over Hawaii (total population nearly 500,000) for the sake of the 50,000 Polynesians and part-Polynesians there, than would the New Zealanders (total population 1,750,000) hand over their rich country to the 70,000 Maoris who live there.

France would not surrender beautiful Oceania to her Polynesians, nor would Britain give up valuable Fiji to the indigenous Fjians.

A long time ago, before the Euro peans became established in the Eastern Pacific, it might have been possible to visualise a United States of Polynesia—Samoa, Tonga, Raro tonga, the Ellice, Maoriland, Tahiti and Hawaii, perhaps, all together in one Federation: but that possibility is long gone. The only Polynesian Territories which now are sufficiently free from immigrant races to join together in one nation are Eastern and Western Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Group, and the Ellice Islands. There are not enough of them for the advantages of national independence to outweigh the manifest economic and financial disadvantages of sever ing present associations.

The idea of a united nation of

Polynesia is very attractive, in some ways; but it may be put aside as politically and economically imprac ticable.

BUT there is no reason why there should not exist, under the shelter of the several European nations which are interested in the Pacific Territories, a cultural Federa tion of Polynesia—an organisation which would recognise the Polynesian and Micronesian races as distinctive and desirable, which would help to preserve the fine character and traditions of those races, and which would assist the Polynesians and Micronesians to achieve complete equality with the white man, in gov ernment and in all the arts of peace.

It would not be wise to encourage the Polynesian to envisage a future completely independent of the Euro peans in the South and Eastern Pacific. For the Polynesian, as well as for the European, all prospects in the Pacific are darkened by the menace of Asia.

If the Asiatics swarm across the Islands—and what is to hold them back, in the end?—there can be no more future for the Polynesian com munities in the Pacific than there will be for the Europeans. The Japanese administration of the Mar shall and Caroline Islands, and the Jap invasion of the South Seas in 1942-43, taught us that. Polynesia’s only hope of survival lies in a close, and closer, association with the Europeans—with whom, after all, the Polynesians are racially and culturally akin. We may not forget that there is an average of 14 per cent. Cau casian in the racial make-up of the Polynesian.

Consideration of the Asiatic menace does nothing to release the Europeans —and especially the Anglo-Saxons— from their obligation to keep Poly nesia alive, racially, culturally and nationally. On the contrary, we should undertake the task gladly, in the knowledge that it will help us to maintain our hold on the South Pacific Territories, when the crisis comes— as come it will.

THERE is a community which, in this connection, demands the thought and best efforts of both Europeans and Polynesians. This consists of the Euronesians—the off spring of European and Polynesian unions. Of all the race-mixtures which may be found in the world, this is one of the best.

For the most part, Euronesians are physically attractive and mentally alert. In all the South Pacific Terri tories, they have won their way into full citizenship and social recognition on their own good qualities, and they are bound to take a leading in the future development of both Poly nesia and Micronesia. They rightly are proud of their Polynesian blood; and that pride should be encouraged.

THIS is a matter that, in due course, will receive the attention of the South Pacific Regional Commission—

about to be planned in Council in Canberra, and eventually to be a part of the new world order.

The movement towards a cultural Federation of Polynesia could be assisted at this stage by the Poly nesians themselves. Why should not leading Samoans, Tongans, Fijians, Maoris, Tahitians, Rarotongans or Hawaiians say something in regard to it?

It is time that the world heard the voice of Polynesia.