Oceania Books

This is another book everybody ought to have in their library. Why?

(1) The Polynesian double-canoe was the great voyaging craft of the human race. Not that other boats were not great too, but these people had so little -- little land, only a few precious trees, no metals, no compass -- and yet in a remarkably short period of time they populated a territory of Earth that would astound you. With a stellar navigation system stored in their brains (not on charts or in complicated sextants or chronometers) they found their way across a vast ocean. The double-canoe was the least boat (the least amount of materials, the least environmental impact for a given need for reliable sailcraft) that could be made to do the most work in the harshest of conditions -- just for those reasons the boats and their crews deserve recognition.

(2) The book chronicles the several voyages of a reconstructed canoe in order to hypothesize about the ways in which the ancient crews used information about seasonal variations in winds and currents to make destinations that, during some parts of the year, would not have been accessible given the heading angles these boats could sail (about as good as a well-designed European square-rigger, though other Polynsesian outrigger canoes -- proas -- gradually developed after the great voyaging period and would eventually sail closer to the wind and astound the early European explorers with their sailing qualities). These voyages were adventures of thinking, training, and sailing a boat of unknown qualities and using a native type of non-instrument navigation -- those adventures are now a testament to the accomplishments of the native people of Oceania. (In a goofy kind of way, you can also remember such accomplishments when you are feeling a bit down on the human race).

I hope those are good enough reasons to buy this book. There are others, but I'm tired, and I want you to write a review about the ones I have not covered.

Flaws? Who has none? The author rightly desires to document the accomplishments of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, but some cultural/racial tensions arose during this long experiment, which is understandable given the state of things in territories whose historical development was altered by colonization and colonial administration. It was no doubt a difficult thing that some of the first impetus and funding for the adventure came from the 'White'-American "establishment" so to speak. But it would be fair to learn more about the total story of this cultural revival project, both the accomplishments and the tensions. [Note 1/8/08: Finney's later book, "Sailing in the Wake of the Ancestors," which I just received, addresses this issue] --wt

This book has been so valuable to me when planning outings in the greater Wellington region. I take it along with me on walks too.
It is very well organised with clear information about what to expect on each walk, as well as interesting history and nature insights. Great maps too, which I find clearer than the "official" ones sometimes available.
Good variety of tracks from all around the region, including the central city.
This is good for visitors to the city as well as locals.

Wandihnu and the Old Dugong is a softcover children's picturebook about a young Australian girl who has lived her whole life in the city of Sydney, and now spends her first summer visiting her Aka (grandmother) on Badu Island, a place with a different customs and a traditional language called Kala Lagaw Ya. When Aka falls sick, she needs oil from the dugong (a local marine animal) as medicine, but the dugong doesn't understand English - only carefully repeated phrases in Kala Lagaw Ya will draw its attention. The girl learns to repeat the phrases that her grandmother teaches her and befriends the dugong, who gives its medicinal oil as a gift. Light, soft, watercolor-style illustrations enhance this simple yet heartwarming tale about learning to cherish one's linguistic and cultural roots through ties with family and new friends.

A beautiful book that is not likely to get the readership that it deserves. it is nominally on the subject of those retired military officers who work for the television networks and provide the 'in depth' coverage of what the military is doing - in three minute segments. As a 'talking head' that only gets called to the studio when there's a war on, one of them coined the term for themselves of 'warhead.'

Secondly though, or perhaps even more important this book is about the situation between the military and the populace in the United States and indeed in most of the countries in Western Europe.

Mr. Allard sees the problem of us as citizens becoming further and further away from the soldiers that come from typically the less well off, the less well educated, and often a membership in a minority.

This is complemented by a congress that has less and less military experience or understanding, which is a direct result of the above. With the abolishment of the draft, America's elite doesn't join the military, doesn't understand the military, but does run from Congress.

The result of this change in our culture will be interesting to watch as the overall Jihad against us is continued by the militant Muslim community.

This book is amazing. It explains everything you have to know about the most beaches and waves of Australia. About the perfect wind, tide, swell direction and so on... quite useful!

If you are going to this atoll for what ever reason, this book are even more important then any travel guide you are taking with you. It was my most important book during my 10 weeks South Pacific travel in 2004.

I was in Tokelau from 22 Nov. to 16 Dec. 2004 and read this book while I was in Nukunonu as a tourist.

The book describes very well how the life is in Tokelau. Although it's mainly focused on the language related to the society - this gives any traveller a very good insight how the life in atoll really is. It's sometimes heavy to read, but it gave me very usefull insight in understanding of the Tokelau'en society.

Not very many books have been written about Guam's political past nor it quest for self-determination. This book covers an important period in Guam's history; From the end of WWII to the signing of the Organic Act in 1950 by President Truman. It clarified many issues and really showed how the U.S. Navy controlled (and still does) U.S. foreign policy on Guam. I never realized until now the significant role that John Collier played in Guam's political history. A very readable and enlightning book.

Erik Dahlgren has written a definitive historical analysis that
thoroughly disproves the popular myth that Hawaiian had been
visited and charted by Spanish explorers. This myth was mentioned as fact in W D Alexander's "A Brief History of the Hawaiian People" published over 100 years ago. It was perpetuated by a Spaniard living in Hawaii, Francisco de Paulo
Marin ("manini").
The argument in favor of the Spanish discovery rests in some
part on the Spanish charts which were seized by Anson when he
captured a treasure ship in the Phillipines. Certainly this
chart was known to Cook, and it does show islands at approximately the same latitude as Hawaii, but well to the east
of Hawaii's actual location.
Dahlgren carefully sorts through the facts and demonstrates that
this Spanish chart was not based on any known observattions,
furthermore he shows that the Spaniard who supposedly made the discovery was in fact not even a competent navigator.
It is a serious historical work, carefully written, and 100%
convincing.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The writing style is almost musical in places - which is quite appropriate, given one of the themes of the book, musicianship. It is a quiet book, in that there are no major conflicts that occur in the time of the book, but nevertheless it has plenty of substance. The relationships between all of the characters are very well drawn and you can feel respect they have for each other. I would love to spend an evening at the cafe, eating and listening to the music.

Rowse traces the history of Aboriginal contact with white settlers by examining the economic rewards offered to the indigenous people by pastoralists and missionaries, from the first distribution of foodstuffs through the integration of Aboriginal people into a cash economy in the last 50 years. This is a book that wil suprise you with insights and connections, make even statistics live, and demonstrate how comlicated the skein of relationships between black and white in Australia hav ebeen and continue to be. Each transaction seems to offer good and bad, and although Rowse never attempts to speak for the Aboriginal people, but only examines the voices of whitefellas through their leavings in the historical record, he manages to pressent a balanced and nuanced understanding of both sides of the frontier.