Book Report of Paul Darcy "The People of the Sea" and Analysis in Reference to Frank Uekotter's "Confronting Pitfalls of Current Environmental History"
Book Report
Paul D'Arcy, The People of the Sea: Environment, Identity, and History in Oceania (Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2006) 292 pages $22.50
In D’Arcy’s “The People of the Sea” he talks about the maritime dimension of Remote Oceania’s history on the period from 1770 until 1870. The study emphasizes Pacific Islanders varied relationships with the sea as evolving processes during an era of crucial transition”. This was the period as the eve of Western contact, but D’Arcy focuses on a pacific based perspective rather than a euro-centric one. In the first chapter, the author talks about the climate, reef communities, the movements of sea water, and geological forces attending the formation of islands
Darcy talks more in depth in the middle five chapters about understanding the sea, where he brings us from a familiar environment to more distant and less known. Chapter two emphasizes mainly on daily activities done by locals in their communities in relation to the sea, such as swimming, fishing, spiritual and practical knowledge of the sea. In the third and fourth chapter Darcy provides a brief but informative insight in sea-travel by islanders who were very skilful in sailing. One of their prominent skills were navigational techniques, infrastructure and seafaring. Darcy believes that despite the fact that the islands are surrounded by water/ocean, they are not isolated by it; as they have developed strong ties in terms of economy, society and politics with other communities. In the fifth chapter, Darcy records that the sea isn’t as free and spacious as Epeli Hauofa describe, as it tends to be a place of conflict and power struggle, even before the European’s arrived. In the Sixth chapter, the author emphasizes on Europeans and Pacific Islanders experiences and natural disasters that intrude from beyond the horizon.
Darcy’s concludes by indicating that Western practises have become dominant in Remote Oceania, such as practises of sea tenure and
Paul D'Arcy, The People of the Sea: Environment, Identity, and History in Oceania (Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2006) 292 pages $22.50
In D’Arcy’s “The People of the Sea” he talks about the maritime dimension of Remote Oceania’s history on the period from 1770 until 1870. The study emphasizes Pacific Islanders varied relationships with the sea as evolving processes during an era of crucial transition”. This was the period as the eve of Western contact, but D’Arcy focuses on a pacific based perspective rather than a euro-centric one. In the first chapter, the author talks about the climate, reef communities, the movements of sea water, and geological forces attending the formation of islands
Darcy talks more in depth in the middle five chapters about understanding the sea, where he brings us from a familiar environment to more distant and less known. Chapter two emphasizes mainly on daily activities done by locals in their communities in relation to the sea, such as swimming, fishing, spiritual and practical knowledge of the sea. In the third and fourth chapter Darcy provides a brief but informative insight in sea-travel by islanders who were very skilful in sailing. One of their prominent skills were navigational techniques, infrastructure and seafaring. Darcy believes that despite the fact that the islands are surrounded by water/ocean, they are not isolated by it; as they have developed strong ties in terms of economy, society and politics with other communities. In the fifth chapter, Darcy records that the sea isn’t as free and spacious as Epeli Hauofa describe, as it tends to be a place of conflict and power struggle, even before the European’s arrived. In the Sixth chapter, the author emphasizes on Europeans and Pacific Islanders experiences and natural disasters that intrude from beyond the horizon.
Darcy’s concludes by indicating that Western practises have become dominant in Remote Oceania, such as practises of sea tenure and