Islands, Islanders and the World: The Colonial and Post-colonial Experience of Eastern FijiFiji is a country whose recent political instability can be directly traced to its distinctive colonial and post-colonial experience. For one particular region of Fiji the authors examine the environmental, social and economic aspects of this experience, at scales ranging from national and regional to island, village and household. Discussions in Third World geography, regional economics and development planning have been full of rhetoric about 'underdevelopment', 'centre-periphery relations' and 'dependency', but seldom are the actual processes which give rise to these phenomena examined in detail. In this book the authors explore in depth the interrelations between the island landscape, the cultural geography of the islanders and the intrusive values and opportunities of the market economy. Some important lessons are to be learnt from the gap between what might be predicted from abstract theories of development and what is actually happening in the real world of politicians, planners, farmers and fishermen. |
Contents
The island landscape | 12 |
Capitalism and colonialism in the periphery | 44 |
Physical and economic externalities and their impact | 82 |
Pampered periphery? | 131 |
Batiki and Kabara | 166 |
Adaptation or stagnation? The case of Koro | 195 |
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Common terms and phrases
agricultural areas Australian National University Batiki Bayliss-Smith Bedford Brookfield Cakaudrove Canberra census cent century chapter chiefs co-operative coastal coconut oil colonial communities copra copra price copra production costs crops decline drought eastern Fiji eastern islands economy effect employment estates European export farmers Fiji's Fijian population Fijian society Fijian village geography growth households hurricane important increase Indo-Fijian island ecosystems islands of Fiji Kabara Kadavu Koro Labasa labour Lakeba land Lapita Lau group Lau islands Lauans Lautoka Levuka Lomaiviti major mataqali migration mill Nacamaki period periphery plantation political problems Province Qeleni Road rates reef region residents rural development Savusavu sea level sector settlement small islands social soils sources South Pacific southern Lau storms structure subsidy subsistence substantial Suva swamps talasiga taro Taveuni tonnes trade traditional Tubou UNESCO UNESCO/UNFPA Project urban Vanua Levu Viti Levu wage Watters Yadrana yaqona