South Pacific Cultures and the Concept and Practice of History

Abstract

The practice of history is often assumed to be transparent and universal, but in fact it is a highly specialised phenomenon which exists only in certain societies. This raises problems for those writing about cultures where the practice of history has not traditionally existed, one such region being the South Pacific. A better understanding of the oral nature of Pacific societies and the way in which this affects one’s understanding of the past will be helpful to the historian of this region, and others like it.