MANGAIA IN THE COLONIAL WORLD, 1863-1899

Authors

Michael Reilly, University of Otago, New ZealandFollow

Abstract

This paper analyzes letters written between 1863 and l899 from the island of Mangaia in the Cook Islands. Collectively, they provide insights into how the people of Mangaia managed their relationships with the outside world, especially with British authorities in the Pacific. These letters are discussed in conjunction with other documents from the colonial archives in order to achieve a more balanced understanding of the way Mangaians acted upon the cultural values inherited from their ancestors in the context of an increasing assertion of foreign control over their island. These vernacular letters articulate a long-hidden subaltern history of Mangaia.

Recommended Citation

Reilly, Michael (2008) "MANGAIA IN THE COLONIAL WORLD, 1863-1899," Pacific Studies Journal: Vol. 31: No. 1, Article 1.
Available at: https://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/pacific-studies-journal/vol31/iss1/1