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Author Tcherkezoff, Serge.

Title First contacts in Polynesia : the Samoan case (1722-1848) : western misunderstanding about sexuality and divinity / Serge Tcherkezoff.

Imprint Canberra : ANU E Press, 2008.

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Location Call No. OPAC Message Status
 Axe JSTOR Open Ebooks  Electronic Book    ---  Available
Edition New ed.
Description 1 online resource
text txt rdacontent
computer c rdamedia
online resource cr rdacarrier
data file
Note Previously published: 2004.
Contents Part One: the Samoan discovery of Europeans (1722-1848). June 1722, the Dutch 'discovery' by Jacob Roggeveen -- May 1768, the French 'discovery' by Louis-Antoine de Bougainville -- December 1787, Lapérouse: first incursion on land -- Lapérouse, the Ignoble Savage, and the Europeans as 'spirits' -- The turn of the century: from Edward Edwards (1791) to Otto von Kotzebue (1824) -- Commercial vessels. Another French visit: Lafond de Lurcy -- The late 1830s: Dumont d'Urville and Wilkes; Jackson and Erskine -- Part Two: Methodological comparisons. 'On the boat of Tangaroa'. Humanity and divinity in Polynesian-European first contacts: a reconsideration -- Sacred cloth and sacred women. On cloth, gifts and nudity in Tahitian first contacts: a culture of 'wrapping-in' -- The Paplagi ('Europeans') and the Sky. Etymology and divinity, linguistic and anthropological dialogue -- Conclusion: Ethnohistory-in-the-field.
Summary "This book explores the first encounters between Samoans and Europeans up to the arrival of the missionaries, using all available sources for the years 1722 to the 1830s, paying special attention to the first encounter on land with the Lapérouse expedition. Many of the sources used are French, and some of difficult accessibility, and thus they have not previously been thoroughly examined by historians. Adding some Polynesian comparisons from beyond Samoa, and reconsidering the so-called 'Sahlins-Obeyesekere debate' about the fate of Captain Cook, 'First Contacts' in Polynesia advances a hypothesis about the contemporary interpretations made by the Polynesians of the nature of the Europeans, and about the actions that the Polynesians devised for this encounter: wrapping Europeans up in 'cloth' and presenting 'young girls' for 'sexual contact'. It also discusses how we can go back two centuries and attempt to reconstitute, even if only partially, the point of view of those who had to discover for themselves these Europeans whom they call 'Papalagi'. The book also contributes an additional dimension to the much-touted 'Mead-Freeman debate' which bears on the rules and values regulating adolescent sexuality in 'Samoan culture'. Scholars have long considered the pre-missionary times as a period in which freedom in sexuality for adolescents predominated. It appears now that this erroneous view emerged from a deep misinterpretation of Lapérouse's and Dumont d'Urville's narratives."--Publisher's description.
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-241).
Language English.
Subject Samoan Islands -- Foreign relations -- Europe.
Europe -- Foreign relations -- Samoan Islands.
Samoan Islands -- History.
Samoan Islands -- Social life and customs.
History & Archaeology.
Regions & Countries -- Australia & Pacific Islands -- Oceania.
Regions & Countries -- Australia & Pacific Islands -- Oceania.
Samoa (Archipel) -- Relations extérieures -- Europe.
Europe -- Relations extérieures -- Samoa (Archipel)
Samoa (Archipel) -- Histoire.
Samoa (Archipel) -- Mœurs et coutumes.
History.
Anthropology.
SOCIAL SCIENCE -- Anthropology -- Cultural.
Diplomatic relations
Manners and customs
Europe https://id.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJxCxPbbk4CPJDQJb4r6rq
Samoan Islands https://id.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJw94DGJG4y8q7PCrTrrMP
Kulturkontakt
Sexualität
Samoainseln
Indexed Term history
customs
social life
samoan islands
foreign relations
europe
Bougainville Island
Ethnic groups in Europe
James Cook
Jean-François de Galaup
comte de Lapérouse
Polynesia
Polynesians
Tahiti
Genre/Form History
In: Books at JSTOR: Open Access JSTOR
OAPEN (Open Access Publishing in European Networks) OAPEN
Other Form: Print version: Tcherkezoff, Serge. First contacts in Polynesia. New ed. Canberra : ANU E Press, 2008 (DLC) 2009367107
ISBN 9781921536021 (electronic bk.)
1921536020 (electronic bk.)
9781921536014
1921536012
1921536020
Standard No. NZ1 12354940
AU@ 000043214222
AU@ 000043648301
AU@ 000060581043
CHDSB 006222388
CHVBK 311899463
GBVCP 1008651958

 
    
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