Abstract While Niue’s resident population is below 1,500, New Zealand’s Niuean population now exceeds 22,000. The vast and recent out-migration is resulting in many changes to on-island Niuean society and culture. Much research on Polynesian migration focuses on out-migrants and their new place of living, especially in relation to Tongan and Samoan migration. While drawing on the theoretical insights of previous research, this thesis focuses on the less researched Polynesian nation of Niue as the cultural homeland of Niuean out-migrants, to investigate how their on-island culture is changing as a result of the significant out-migration of its residents that began in the late 1960s. It uses the analytical lens of culture and migration to understand in greater detail the social and cultural changes in Niue by the contemporary migration. Using ethnographic field research the thesis examines and analyses the impact of ‘cultural migration’ in relation to the central aspects of on-island Niuean social and cultural change, ranging from everyday life occurrences to once in a lifetime events. The thesis examines changes involving such items as language, Niuean youth haircutting and ear-piercing ceremonies, food habits, Niuean entertainment, arts and crafts, family and more. From ethnographic data collected in Niue and among the out-migrant Niuean community in New Zealand, the thesis argues that on-island Niueans are taking on the characteristics of out-migrant Niueans. Although New Zealand administered Niue for many years and still has a role in Niue’s status as a Pacific island-nation, Niueans themselves have been most responsible for the changes influencing their on-island society and culture.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/291180 |
| Creators | Bryan David Phillips |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Detected Language | English |
Page generated in 0.0022 seconds