South Pacific/Moana Oceania

The countries & regions of the South Pacific/Moana Oceania:

American Samoa & Samoa | Aotearoa/New Zealand | Australia | Cook Islands | Fiji | French Polynesia | Guam | Kiribati | Nauru | New Caledonia | Palau | Papua New Guinea | Republic of Marshall Islands | Solomon Islands | Tonga | Tuvalu | Vanuatu

Many of these countries consist of hundreds if not thousands of islands - all with differing governing bodies and links to other larger colonial countries.

American Samoa & Samoa

These two groups of islands were politically divided in 1989. Both groups share much of the same cultural history and for ease of understanding are grouped together here.

The Samoas arguably represent the largest population of Polynesian people and they take pride in a strong culture that has survived outside incursions amazingly well. For centuries, fine mats, woven from the leaves of the pandamas tree, have been the symbol of wealth and prosperity. Samoans have constructed many types of canoes, each designed for a specific purpose such as the “Paopao”, which is used for fishing within the reef areas and the “Va’aalo”, which is a bigger fishing craft used outside reef areas and for short distance travel.

Aotearoa/New Zealand

There are large populations of different cultural groups in Aotearoa, in particular Auckland City is home to the largest population of Pacific peoples in the world, hailing from all across Moana Oceania. New Zealand’s vibrant crafts and arts scene blends historic and contemporary practices, showcased in thriving multicultural communities of jewellers, ceramicists, sculptors, photographers, and glass artists. Alongside this, traditional Māori arts remain central. These include carving (whakairo), tattooing (ta moko), weaving (rāranga), and painting (kowhaiwhai) - artforms deeply embedded in Māori identity, spirituality, and social order. Carving in wood, bone, stone, and pounamu (NZ greenstone) is utilised from jewellery to meeting houses. Māori have lived in Aotearoa for over a thousand years and remain tangata whenua, the land’s first people. Despite colonisation and cultural shifts, Māori language, values—such as mana, tapu, and utu—and ceremonial life remain vital. Today, New Zealand’s cultural landscape is a rich fusion of indigenous heritage and global influences, both modern and intrinsic to the nation’s identity.

Australia

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia, upwards of 60,000 years prior to colonisation. First Nations Australians have a rich craft culture closely linked to both ceremonial ritual and daily life. Art Centres promote indigenous craft through workshops, product development and exhibitions. At the beginning of the European colony, crafts were particularly humble due to lack of familiar materials and skills. Craft in Australia today can be seen as a component of design, a form of visual art and a political movement. While there are many practitioners at both the professional and hobbyist level, it would be very rare to find anyone who identified as an artisan in the traditional sense of a person who inherits a skill that can be offered as a service to others.

Cook Islands

The Cook Island women are renowned for their craftwork particularly their Tivaevae (handmade bedspreads) and the rito hat. Local women make and reserve these for special occasions. The traditional island cloth, tapa, is produced by beating the bark until the required texture is obtained and is decorated with traditional cultural patterns. While its lack of comfort means it is no longer used for garments, it does make - and is often used for - wall hangings. The most popular souvenir items are handmade coconut fibre baskets and wooden carvings of the phallic demi-god ‘Tangaroa’. Authentic handcrafts often come from islands, which specialise in a particular item. The ornate shell and seed hat bands come from Mangaia, while finely woven pandanus mats come from Pukapuka.

Fiji

Popular Fijian handicrafts include masi (tapa cloth), carved wooden items, woven baskets and mats, natural fibre weaving (using voivoi, kuta, wamere, bamboo, pine leaves, coconut leaves, magimagi, vau) and pottery. These items reflect the rich cultural heritage of Fiji and are often used in daily life as well as ceremonial occasions.The art of pottery brought into the South Pacific by the gifted and versatile “Lapita” people survived in Fiji. The Fiji Arts Council supports traditional crafts in the country.

French Polynesia

Consisting of more than 100 islands stretching over 2,000km and is renowned for its unique handicrafts such as intricate wood carvings, beautiful pearl jewelry, weaving, traditional tapa cloth, and vibrant pareos (sarongs). Each of these items reflect the rich cultural heritage and skilled artisanship of the Polynesian people. The wooden or stone anthropomorphic statuettes called “ti’i” or tiki had a religious significance, whereas articles for useful or ornamental purposes were simply given a decorative design. The famous tiki, the Marquesan name for the “ti’i” of Tahiti, is found in various situations, and those decorating combs or the handles of fans are very finely carved.

Guam

Guam is presently an Unincorporated Territory of the United States. On August 1st 1950, the Chamorros of Guam were granted the right of civilian rule through the Organic Act of Guam. The famous handicrafts of Guam include carved love stick, bead bracelets and necklaces, woven baskets, marmars (flower necklace that goes around your forehead), woven traditional stars and shapes with shells and shell necklaces.

Kiribati

Weaving is a skill as well as an art, and the Kiribati women are very fine weavers. Designs used in weaving are family property, and mothers passed the skill on to their daughters. Besides weaving fine mats for sleeping, they also make baskets, hats and fans. Pandanus leaves are used, and sometimes coconut leaves. The application of easily procured commercial dyes is not unknown today, no doubt in preference to local dyes which are prepared much more laboriously.

Nauru

Nauru is one of the world’s smallest independent states with its own government and constitution. Heavily impacted by colonial, Nauruan crafts include baskets, rhythmic singing, and dance. However many of the traditions of arts and crafts on Nauru are nearly lost due to the influence of Western culture.

New Caledonia

The archipelago of New Caledonia consists of 140 islands and is part of Melanesia. New Caledonia has an age-old culture of archaeology and the Kanak arts and traditions. Melanesian sculptures, totems, funeral masks, as well as many objects depicting all the aspects of this society: pottery, ornaments, jewellery made of jade or shells, Kanak coins, spears, models of outrigger canoes, roof poles, etc. are some of the notable craft items of New Caledonia.

Papua New Guinea

Ritualistic or ceremonial objects form an important part of the craft forms in PNG. Carvings are also found on more ordinary, everyday objects such as house posts and gables, weapons, implements and jewellery. The bilum bag is central to cultural life - used for everyday and ceremonial events. They are the living, breathing artifacts of the country’s multifaceted population. Handed down throughout the centuries and ubiquitous across tribes and regions, the craft of bilum weaving is at the heart of Papua New Guinean traditions. Other forms of craft include stone axes and adzes were for rough work using skins of rays, lizards, and sharks as abrasives for smooth work along with pieces of coral and shells. The final finish varies greatly from place to place.

The Republic of Marshall Islands

The main craft items of Marshall Islands include baskets, breadfruit peelers, canoes, coasters, fans, hats, headbands (wut), jewelry, mats, obong, purses, stars and stickcharts. Marshallese baskets are one of the major forms of handicraft. These exist as open baskets and as baskets with a lid. Specialised forms are hand bags and purses. Hats are a comparatively new form of handicraft. In pattern, weaving and ornamentation the hats follow the mats. Woven hair ornaments are a comparatively new handicraft development. The normal ornaments would have been headbands (wut) made from flowers woven around a solid pandanus core. Later, flowers were substituted by wool. The Wall hangings (Obong) were introduced as a handicraft item during the Japanese Mandate Period. Ritualistic or ceremonial objects form an important part of the craft forms in PNG. Carvings are also found on more ordinary, everyday objects such as house posts and gables, weapons, implements and jewellery. The bilum bag is central to cultural life - used for everyday and ceremonial events. They are the living, breathing artifacts of the country’s multifaceted population. Handed down throughout the centuries and ubiquitous across tribes and regions, the craft of bilum weaving is at the heart of Papua New Guinean traditions. Other forms of craft include stone axes and adzes were for rough work using skins of rays, lizards, and sharks as abrasives for smooth work along with pieces of coral and shells. The final finish varies greatly from place to place.

Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands consists of six major islands and over 1,000 small islands and atolls in Melanesia. Solomon Islands carvings go back to the dawn of time with roots deep in the culture of the islands and their people. They were, and still are, part of their religious, economic and domestic lives.The craftspersons of Solomon Islands produce highly polished carvings with distinctive shell inlay work. The best known of these is Nguzu Nguzu, the head of a sea god, which used to be attached to the prow of a canoe. Sharks and dolphins are also carved in the Western Province, and attractive feather fans are made by the Gilbertese (I-Kiribati) people who settled there in large numbers. A form of shell or stone money using fossilised clam shell was also produced by the craftspersons of this country.

Tonga

Dance and song in Tonga has traditionally been an important art form, and this becomes evident during exhibitions of Tongan dancing performed for visitors on the waterfront. The songs and dances describe the legendary exploits of the King’s ancestors. In ancient times, dramatic events were immediately translated into songs and dances, and it is through this tradition that the history of the Tongans is passed down to successive generations. Weaving of cloth from the bark of the Pandanus palm is a native craft. Besides canoe racing and soccer, traditional pursuits such as beautiful and intricate dances and making figures from string are also practiced.

Tuvalu

Tuvalu is a group of nine coral islands and achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1978. Tapa cloth, (bark cloth), holds a special place in Tuvaluan culture. This craft is not only a testament to the island’s rich heritage but also a symbol of community and identity. The process of making tapa cloth is intricate and labor-intensive, involving several stages from harvesting the bark to the final decoration. Today, while modern fabrics have largely replaced tapa in everyday use, it remains an important element in ceremonial occasions and cultural expressions.

Vanuatu

Vanuatu is an archipelago of volcanic and coral islands including 13 principal and many smaller islands. Baskets, mats, hats, jewellery, carvings, masks, fans, light shades, hand bands, necklaces and paintings made from locally found and sourced materials form the main crafts of the islands.In addition local health and beauty products, herbs, spices and tanna coffee are produced.

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