impact of the West

I-Kiribati assess the impact of the West

Kiribati: A Changing Atoll Culture.By Sister M. Alaima Talu, et al. Published by the Institute of Pacific Studies of the University of the South Pacific, 1985. xxii + 202 pages. Price SFII hard- cover; SFB paperback.

Over the past decade or so, the University of the South Pacific, especially through its Institute of Pacific Studies, has built up an impressive list of publications.

While academic advisers, from USP or elsewhere, have fre quently played an editorial or facilitating part, the main pur pose behind the entrepreneur ial role of the institute has been to promote writing on the Paci fic islands from Pacific Islanders in the hope that a more indi genous view of past and pre sent might emerge in the pub lished literature. Some of these publications have followed Western academic practice with, for example, symposia on such issues as land, politics, tourism, courts, development issues; or collectively written histories of island countries.

Like so many of these earlier publications Kiribati: A Chan ging Atoll Culture is a joint effort. But it does not claim to be comprehensive or analytical.

Rather, it is unashamedly a collection of individual view points, attempts to “describe some of the recent changes in Kiribati culture which have re sulted from contact with the Western world” (xii).

One group of papers deals with village and family life: it includes “Being I-Kiribati” by

Sister Alaima Talu; “Mothers and Infants” by Rite Teatao Tira; “Family Ties” by Kamaua lobi; “Adopting A Child” by Tetika Teraku; and “Leader ship in the Village” by Roniti Teiwaki. Another is concerned with education, language and the teaching and preservation of Kiribati culture. Among this group are “Composing Songs” by Moarerei Kirion; “Classroom Learning” by Arobati Tautua; “Speaking And Writing” by Taakei Taoaba; and “Conserv ing Kiribati Culture” by Tekarei Tibwere Russell. There are two papers on aspects of economic development “Let’s Go Fishing” by Barerei Onorio and “Agricultural Subsistence and Development” by Mareko P.

Tofiga one on “Spiritual Beliefs” by Baranite Kirata; a discussion of the role of the media in “Windows On The World” by Batiri T. Bataua; and a concluding overview, “Change and Continuity” by Nakibae Tabokai.

With each paper having the capacity to stand alone there is inevitable overlap and repet ition of some basic information geographical and demo graphic details, for example, or features of the education sys tem but this is not extensive and does not distract the read er. There are several recurring themes the generation gap so evident in attitudes towards music, education, the subsist ence economy, urban life; the inevitability of change, and the desirability of preserving the past; changing family structures the latter being especially

illustrated in all facets of migra tion and urban living discussed throughout the book. Gener ally, the authors seem to accept change as both inevitable and desirable but always with the values of the past if not the forms carefully preserved.

There are also explicit personal statements; Rite Teatao Tira, for example, would place her desire to see the preservation of the maneaba (community meeting house) above any attempt to remove the restrict ions on the speaking rights of women in formal community discussions while Tekarei Rus sell argues a very personal case for the teaching of Kiribati in a formal school context.

Kiribati: A Changing Atoll Culture is very much a descrip tive account of various aspects of current Kiribati lifestyles.

Most of the writers discuss the consequences of change rather than the process of change itself. Where there is reference to the past there is more com monly a comparison with “traditional” or pre-European customs and conditions than a discussion of a century of West ernisation. There are some ex ceptions: for example, Baranite Kirata discusses the attractions of Christianity for I-Kiribati and how spiritual beliefs have changed over time; and Roniti Teiwaki examines the changing role of leaders in Kiribati so ciety.

Tempting glimpses are given of other themes that might prove the basis of a sequel. For example, the role of wage employment and the cash eco

nomy generally in transforming village life; changing percep tions of land and wealth; Kiriba ti’s views of its place in the Pacific region; the development projects that will shape the economic future of Kiribati; the ways in which education, aid and economic development will inevitably increase the distance between I-Kiribati living on Tarawa and those living on the outer islands.

Kiribati: A Changing Atoll Culture is commended to those with an interest in Pacific litera tures and to anyone seeking a general introduction to life and conditions on these remote central Pacific islands. It admir ably complements Kiribati: Aspects of History which was published at the time of Inde pendence in 1979. Leonard Mason has done an excellent, if unobtrusive, job as editor, run ning the preparatory workshops and smoothing the inevitable edges though without under mining the integrity of the indi vidual contributions. The book is well and extensively illus trated with black and white photographs by Tony Wincup and generally well presented — except for the binding which, on the review copy at least, fell apart at the first reading. —

Barrie Macdonald.