1. Approaches to Maritime Melanesia -- 2. Between Reef and Rainforest: Journeys in Marovo Lagoon -- 3. History of a "Traditional System": Transformations, Relations, and Encounters across the Sea -- 4. Organizing Flow: Social Relations and Cultural Categories -- 5. On Seas and Reefs: Maritime Knowledge and Practice -- 6. Signs in the Seascape: Encounters with Maritime Histories -- 7. Laws of the Lagoon: Customary Marine Tenure on the Fishing Grounds -- 8. The Work of the Guardians: Confronting Global Systems -- 9. Foundations of Guardianship: The Sea as Cultural and Relational Focus -- Appendix 1: Demography --Appendix 2: Flora and Fauna