A Brief Introduction to Melanesia

Melanesia consists of a number of islands centered around New Guinea, the world’s second-largest island, which lies along the southwestern side of the Pacific Ocean. Others include New Ireland, New Britain, Bougainville, the Solomon Islands, the New Hebrides Islands, New Caledonia and Fiji. Politically, the eastern half of the island was governed by Australia until very recently, but it declared independence on September 16th, 1975 as Papua-New Guinea, covering parts of the islands such as New Ireland.

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The Solomon Islands gained independence from Britain on July 7th, 1978, and Vanuatu became independent from Britain and France in 1980. Meanwhile, New Caledonia is an overseas territory of France, and Fiji is an independent country. The Melanesians are of dark complexion and curly-haired, and they speak both the Papuan and Melanesian languages, the latter being a language of the Austronesian family. The Melanesian community is divided into small groups and the people are engaged in potato farming or fishing for a living. The Melanesians, renowned for their creativity and artistic talents, are also known to worship the spirits of their ancestors and a variety of spirits that inhabit the forests, mountains, and swamps.

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