'There is no place like home' (eBook)

Migration and Cultural Identity of the Sonsorolese, Micronesia

Stephanie Walda-Mandel (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2016 | 1. Auflage
332 Seiten
Universitätsverlag Winter
978-3-8253-7642-0 (ISBN)

Infos

The remote island of Sonsorol with its unique culture and language belongs to the Micronesian archipelago Palau in the Western Pacific. Based on intensive multi-sited fieldwork, this comprehensive ethnography analyzes the social transformation of a small island community caused by migration of a large number of its members. Long journeys with their outrigger canoes have always been cultural practice of the Sonsorolese people. Today, caused by global processes, their world has broadened and they move to destinations such as Guam, Saipan or the USA - faraway places that sometimes become a permanent home. In these even smaller dispersed communities in mostly urban centers, notions of home, belonging and nation take on new significance. Following their routes and footsteps, the author explores how mobility and change affect their cultural identity. In their own words, the Sonsorolese express their motifs, hopes and experiences and are shown as active decision makers in a changing world.

Inhalt

Cover 1
Titel 4
Impressum 5
Contents 6
List of Illustrations???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 10
Map 23
2.1: Location of Sonsorol Island 23
Plates 25
2.1: Hunting on Fanna (Sonsorol in the background 25
2.2: Sonsorolese flag???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 26
2.3: Arrival on Sonsorol?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 27
2.4: Children on Sonsorol???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 29
2.5: Wedding of Laura Ierago Miles and Joel Miles???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 52
3.1: Wanita (left) and Satu (right) with a baby in a swing in Echang???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 62
3.2: Sonsorolese women dancing at a village party in Echang?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 63
3.3: Catholic service in the Santa Maria Pillar church on Sonsorol???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 64
6.1: Traditional therapy for Mark’s broken arm?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 138
6.2: Raichy (left) cutting fish on Sonsorol???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 142
7.1: Dolores Sablan, the pioneer settler in Portland?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 170
8.1: The Sonsorolese men dancing in Malakal???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 234
8.2: Learning from the master carver how to carve a canoe?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 240
8.3: Students with their teacher and their Sonsorol story book???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 245
8.4: First born ceremony in Echang (photo Victoria Nestor?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 247
9.1: Young Southwest Islanders in Echang?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 276
Acknowledgements?????????????????????????????????????????????? 12
1 Introduction 14
2 “Do You Know Paradise Island?” Sonsorol and Its Integration in the Palauan Archipelago 22
Dongosaro: Sonsorol???????????????????????????????????????????????????? 22
Belu’uera Belau: The Republic of Palau?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 37
History and Colonial Heritage of Palau?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 40
Methodological Reflection???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 51
3 “A Home away from Home.” Migration Destinations of the Sonsorolese 60
Echang?????????????????????????? 60
Saipan?????????????????????????? 66
Guam?????????????????????? 68
Portland and Salem, Oregon?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 72
4 Who am I? Fundamental Notions of Identity from an Anthropological Perspective 80
Cultural Identity???????????????????????????????????????????????? 80
Collective Identity???????????????????????????????????????????????????? 88
Ethnic Identity???????????????????????????????????????????? 92
5 An Assessment of Anthropological Key Terms in Migration Studies 96
Transnationalism and Migration?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 96
Diaspora?????????????????????????????? 104
Nation, Home and Belonging?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 108
6 Traditional Sonsorolese Identity Markers 114
Community and Respect???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 118
Religious Faith and Gods?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 129
Mourning and Death?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 131
Chants?????????????????????????? 133
Healing Techniques?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 135
Food?????????????????????? 139
Land Tenure???????????????????????????????????? 142
Tattoos and Hair?????????????????????????????????????????????? 145
Navigation?????????????????????????????????? 148
Language?????????????????????????????? 150
7 Daily Life of the Sonsorolese in a New Home 154
Causes for Sonsorolese Migration?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 157
The Solid Network of the Family: Chain Migration?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 167
Remittances and Staying in Touch?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 171
Home is not a Country, but a Feeling: Nostalgia and the Return Myth 179
Faith as a Unifying Force: The Catholic Church?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 193
Sports as an Identity-Forming Power???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 196
The Taste of Home: Sonsorolese Cooking?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 197
8 Challenges for the Sonsorolese Identity 200
Identity and Ethnicity?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 200
“The Small Heart“: Sonsorolese Children and the Educational System 210
“Echang Language”: Loss of the Sonsorolese Language???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 217
“The Money Comes from the Devil!”: Cultural Loss and Social Change 224
Struggling against Oblivion: Revitalization of the Sonsorolese Traditions 231
Transformations???????????????????????????????????????????? 246
9 “No More Typhoon, Go Home!” Self- and External Perception of Sonsorolese Identity 252
“They are Palauan Citizens, but they are not Palauans!” Discrimination and Self-Perception 252
“Don’t Go out with Tobian People or Guys, cause those People are not Good 275
Perception of the Sonsorolese by Members of the Residence Societies from outside Palau 278
Being In-between: Sonsorolese Children and Teenagers 282
Self-Identification of the Sonsorolese?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 291
10 Conclusion 300
11 Contributors 308
References?????????????????????????????????? 312
Index???????????????????????? 338
Back Cover 346

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 18.11.2016
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung
• ISBN-10: 3-8253-7642-7 / 3825376427
• ISBN-13: 978-3-8253-7642-0 / 9783825376420